The Sword of the Frog Princess
by Xenkiv
Summary: Robin is a man who awoke without memories. As he learn more about himself, the more he learned to love his adopted family, the Shepherds. However, catastrophe looms in the closest shadows and threatens to take everything he cherishes. Listen closely to the struggle and trials of Ylisse's greatest tactician.
1. Premonition: The Ties that Binds

**Premonition: The Ties that Binds**

"This is it! Our final battle!" Chrom huffed, his gaze shifted to the figure of a hooded man standing beside him. "You're one of us, Robin, and no 'destiny' can change that. Now let's kill this dastard and be done with it."

With an acknowledging nod, the two figures ran desperately towards the purple speck of light at the end of a long dark hallway. The humming of an ominous prayer creep louder in their ears as they drew closer to their final destination. There, a tall dark sorcerer stood motionlessly with his arms raised outstretch in front of an offering cauldron emanating purple flames, the abnormal colored heat source casting a wicked glow that glorified the stature of the massive cruel altar.

A metallic clink followed by Chrom's overwhelming roar startled his hooded friend as the blue-hair man charged with his sword. With the sound of boots ricocheting off the empty hall behind him, the sorcerer turned with a sneer before waving his hand in front of him. The air began to warp and burn until a purple tome materialized from thin air into his other palm. Withered pages snapped wildly as chilling air gathered around the wicked man, engulfed the room with an earsplitting crackle of dark energy.

A silver blur cut through the air forward but the blade stopped in its track when it struck the dark sorcerer's countering hand. The longer Chrom pressed the metal edge forward, the wilder the unknown magic sparked. Robin distanced himself as the two powerful combatants locked themselves in mortal combat, analyzing the best possible way to support his friend. Chrom continued to block and weave through the intense exchange but could not found an opening. Suddenly, the magic from the sorcerer's hand latched onto Chrom's sword. Thrown off balance by the nature of the unusual spell, Chrom struggled to break the sorcerer's magical tether on his sword. Robin circled behind the dark sorcerer and began to gather energy in his hand, the amber glow surrounding his hand began condensing in response to his master's call for aid.

With a growl, the sorcerer broke the tether with a shove before casting a bolt of energy at his adversary. The rate at which the sorcerer changed the nature of his magic was overwhelming to Chrom, but his trained instinct helped block the projectile with his blade. At such close proximity, the strength behind the blow forced the young man to re-adjust his footing. Immediately, the sorcerer raised his hand above him and began to charge a different spell that rapidly grew in size and intensity. Realizing the danger of the new attack, Chrom rolled forward dodging the enormous bolt by a hair's breath. The spell exploded where the young man once stood leaving behind a scorched mark on the stone floor. Using the momentum of his roll, Chrom swung at the sorcerer while at the same time Robin opened his palm to cast his spell. As the sword inched closer to connect with flesh, the sorcerer vanished in a puff.

Chrom scanned the surrounding before the sound of gathering magic alerted him of danger above.

Looking up, he directed Robin. "Up there!"

With a shrilled howl, the sorcerer thrust his arms unleashing a beam of dark energy at the two men. Chrom and Robin hurriedly leap from other as the lethal pillar of light splinter the ground between the two. Streams of dust fell from the hallway's pillar ceiling as the room shook from the massive explosion. Before the hooded man crashed to the floor, he flung his charged spell at the sorcerer. The sorcerer vanished once more, the soaring bolt flying into empty space. The room echoed with a mocking hollow voice taunting the fail attack. When the dust began to settle, a cloud filled with crackling energy barreled towards Chrom. Pained howls echoed the room as the magic electrocuted its target to his very core.

At the steps of the altar, the sorcerer reformed from his cloud form cackling madly while Chrom lean on his sword struggling desperately to pick himself to his shaking feet. Raising his left hand once more, the sorcerer grinned preparing another lethal magic ball above his head.

"Die!" the sorcerer yelled, his eyes glittered in glee as the bolt raced towards its master's target.

Without a moment to lose, Robin jumped to his feet and cast a spell of his own. Another cloud of explosion engulfed the room as the two powerful magical forces collided. As the dust began to settle, the sorcerer slowly raised himself before glaring at Robin.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Hi everyone. This is the first story I've posted on this site (hopefully not the last). As a man of few words, I hope you enjoy and if you were curious of the M!Robin build for this story, here it is:<em>**

**Build: 01**  
><strong>Face: 01<strong>  
><strong>Hair: 04<strong>  
><strong>Hair Color: 05<strong>  
><strong>Voice: 01<strong>

**_I encourage to those that enjoy it to leave a review so I can further help make it enjoyable._**


	2. Prologue: The Wheels of Fate Turns

**Prologue: The Wheels of Fate Turns**

"Chrom, we have to do something?" a feminine voice echoed.

Her concern was directed to an unconscious male lying asleep on the swaying meadow field. The male had long black hair partially covering his sharp facial features. Covering his long but oddly thin body was an oversized black cloak with purple trims and highlights, emphasizing the ominous eye shape patterns on the sleeves. Even when asleep, the mysterious male emitted an aura of warmth that drew her attention.

Unbeknownst to the female, her voice had startled the male from his strange dream. Slowly, his eyes flicker with life, allowing rays of warm light to pierce the veil of darkness over his pupils. Though the male's vision was blurry, he could make out two figures standing above him.

"What do you propose we do?" a deep masculine voice asked.

The male inwardly winced at the new 'unknown' voice. Why the person's voice carried an air of familiarity, he couldn't understand.

"Um, I dunno know." the female turned to face the larger figure next to her.

Bursts of colors illuminated the male's vision as his eyes gently fluttered open. Taking a deep breath, he could feel a soft warm breeze pleasantly brushing his face. Shuffling in the grass, the two figures turn their focus at him. Quickly, they leaned over him.

"I see you're awake now", the masculine voice belonged to a male with blue hair with gold-trimmed clothes to match in shades. Despite the small tatters at the edge of his white waist length cape, a noble spirited aura surrounded the male before him.

"Hey there." the feminine voice belonged to a female with blond hair styled into twin pigtail and yellow dress, her green eyes gazing into his own with wonder. When the male returned the curious look, her giggle chimed softly.

"There are pretty places to take a nap than on the ground you know." Chrom teasingly jabbed, directing the male's attention back to him. "Give me your hand."

Upon grasping his savior's glove hand, the male noticed a mark on the back of his own. The mark had a similar pattern to the sorcerer's book cover in his dream, its dark-purple highlighted eyes staring without remorse at him. The male's train of thought broke as his boot finally met solid ground.

Waves of nausea rushed through his body at the sudden movement but the male steadied himself from falling over. Dazed, the male observed his surroundings. To his disappointment, there was nothing but miles of grass and trees in the distance. Oddly, his eyes focused on another figure standing far away from the back of Chrom's right. The person was a male with brown hair covered in blue and silver colored heavy armor. Even from a distant, the male could feel the knight's glare directed at him.

"You all right?" Chrom motioned his companion in the back to approach.

"Y-yes…" the male's breath hitched. "Thank you, Chrom."

"Ah, then you know who I am?" Chrom's eyes flashed.

The male ran his cold fingers through his hair. "No, actually. I…it's strange…Your name, it just…came to me…"

"…Hmm, how curious." Chrom frowned. "Tell me, what's your name? What brings you here?"

Mirroring Chrom's expression, the male ponder. "Umm, my name is…It's…"

Oddly, the male couldn't remember who he was no matter how hard he tried. The events in his dream were quickly fading. Every ticking second spent made it harder to remember. To the male, it was as if his brain deliberately hid the most important details about him. All he could remember was darkness and name of the man in front of him, Chrom. Everything thought was in complete disorder. Groaning, the male pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"… You don't know your own name?" Chrom's right hand slightly twitched.

"I'm not sure if…" the male's eyes wandered again to scan his surroundings. Concluding he had no answers to his saviors' questions, he shook his head. "I'm sorry, but where am I, exactly?"

Surprised, the blonde girl chimed. "Hey, I've heard of this! It's called amnesia!"

Letting the words hang unpleasantly in the air, the armored knight stepped forward. "It's called a load of pegasus dung."

Facing the male with eyes filled of open hostility, he continued. "We're to believe you remember milord's name, but not your own?"

"B-but it's the truth!" the male tensed, the back of his hair were standing on edge at the accusing words.

Nothing made sense to him. He had woken to a strange dream only to find no memory. Chrom grind his left foot in the grass awkwardly, the dark looming atmosphere hovering over the peaceful meadow field was beginning to feel suffocating.

"…What if it IS true, Frederick?" Chrom faced his knight. "We can't just leave him here, alone and confused. Besides, what sort of Shepherds would we be then?"

The armored knight finally introduced as Frederick remained adamant. "Just the same, milord. I must emphasize caution." Quickly glancing to the robed male standing before them, he rudely continued, "Twould not do to let a wolf into our flock."

'He still has the audacity to say that while I'm here. I don't like this guy,' the male crossed his arms, returning the knight's hard look.

"Right then-we'll take him back to town and sort this out there." Chrom heaved with finality, receiving a nod from the stubborn knight and Lissa.

"Wait just one moment. Do I have a say in this?" the male rapidly glanced at the trio of people before him. He had just met these people only minutes ago and they were already deciding what to do with him.

Noticing tinged fear in the male's eyes, Chrom raised his hands in reassurance. "Peace, friend-I promise we'll hear all you have to say back in town. Now come."

Sensing sincerity flowing from Chrom's words, the male sighed. He didn't want to wander a land where he lacked knowledge nor did he know where home was.

'Well, if I had one to begin with,' the male tread forward slowly with his 'saviors' to gods know where.

The four had been walking for couple of hours to a place called Southtown with the only noise coming boots shuffling over grovel road and the blonde girl's constant chatter with Chrom.

'Who am I? And what am I here for?' the man asked himself for the thousandth time, occasionally glancing around to remember anything that could identify who he was.

For miles on end, he could see trees, grass, and even more trees. Frustrated, the male ruffled his hair before catching the attention of Chrom and the blonde girl whose name he didn't know. "What will you do with me? Am I to be your prisoner?"

Halting, Chrom turn back with a hearty chuckle. "You'll be free to go once we establish you're no enemy of Ylisse."

The male felt a familiar click at the strange name. "Is that where we are? Ylisse?"

"You've never heard of the halidom?" Frederick's mouth gap in disbelief, his tone made no effort to hide what the male sense as disrespect. "Someone pay this actor. He plays quite the fool! The furrowed brow is especially convincing…"

"Frederick, please." Chrom rubbed his face, clearly annoyed at his knight's antics. "This land is known as the Halidom of Ylisse. Our ruler, Emmeryn, is called the Exalt."

Seeing how everyone was silent and attentive, Chrom continued. "I suppose proper introductions are in order…My name is Chrom-but then, you already knew that." Gesturing to the blond girl, his grin swelled. "The delicate one here is my little sister, Lissa."

"I am NOT delicate!" Lissa puffed her cheek in annoyance before crossing her arms and turning away from her brother. Seeing the amused look of the male, a warm smile graced her face again. "Ignore my brother, please. He can be a bit thick sometimes."

Seeing the male smirk, Lissa giggled. "But you're lucky the Shepherds found you. Brigands would've been a rude awakening!"

There was that word again, 'Shepherds.' But what did it mean?

"Shepherds? You tend sheep…in full armor?" the male glanced at Chrom's sword and Lissa staff, now foolishly aware of the amount of weapons, armor, and gear surrounding him.

Chrom smiled at the question that never came to his mind. "It's a dangerous job. Just ask Frederick the Wary here."

"A title I shall wear with pride." Frederick finally answered with a respective bow.

'So that's why he's so cautious of me…Still.' the male brought his right hand to his chin, mentally noting to limit any radical words or actions to avoid sowing further distrust of him.

"Gods forbid one of us keeps an appropriate level of caution." the male felt the cautious glare directed at him. "I have every wish to trust you, stranger but my station mandates otherwise."

Setting the rough confrontation beforehand, the male nodded. "I understand. I would do no less myself." As if his mouth worked faster than his mind, the male continued." My name is Robin."

An awkward silence permeated the air. Seeing the three stare at him, male quietly mumbled the entire conversation to himself. Upon reaching one particular word, his eyes widen.

"…I just remembered that. How odd." Robin frowned, awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "I suppose that's one mystery solved."

"Robin? Is that foreign?" Chrom's eyes glittered with eagerness. Questions upon unanswered question were on the tip of his tongue but he no idea where to start. Before he could ask further, his sister's shaky voice brought his mind back to reality.

"Chrom, look! The town!" Lissa pointed at the multiple rising pillars of smoke and distant cries of screaming. Despite the distance, everyone could make out the figures of villagers running for their lives.

"Damn it!" Chrom yelled angrily. "Those blasted brigands, no doubt."

"Frederick, Lissa! Quickly!" Chrom drew a gleaming sword from the holster on his waist.

"What about him?" Frederick grunted, trotting his lord already mounted on his armored horse. The wary knight looked at Robin who continued to stare at the shadowy figures of fleeing villagers.

"Unless he's on fire as well, it can wait!" Chrom yelled. Without a word, the blue-hair lord race desperately towards the burning village.

Seeing the three figures growing smaller in the distance to deal with the brigands, Robin felt lost once more. Just as he was warming up to the group, they were gone leaving him alone once more. Even though he was given a chance to escape and find his own way back home, it was as if a voice rooted his body in place, constantly telling him to do one thing only: follow them. Despite not having a weapon but a book in his robe's pocket, he ran after Chrom and his Shepherds. He didn't care. It was now or never to get answers since his awakening.


	3. Chapter 1: A Sword is Forged

**Chapter 1: A Sword is Forged**

Burning wreckage and the sprawled bodies of villagers greeted Chrom, Frederick and Lissa. The thundering clasp of another building echoed in beat to their racing footsteps through the decimated streets of Southtown. Amidst the smoke and chaos, the trio tried their best to save as many lives possible all while driving bandit pillagers away. Eventually, the group found a courier more than happy to escort them to town's riverbank where the remaining survivors had gathered. Thanking Chrom for his aid, one of the town's elder men described the crisis befalling their quiet lives and the leader responsible for the attack.

Upon hearing of the leader's last reported sighting in Town's Square, Chrom hastily departed to the burning town followed by his sister and knight. As the trio slowly approached the center of the trouble, they heard a booming voice in front of the Town's Hall.

"Get to it, lads!" a gruff man waved his torch, the flames illuminating the red marks on his cheeks. "Grab anything shiny, and put the rest to the torch! We gots an example to set for these Ylissean types!"

With the flames beginning to lick the roof of the town hall, the bandits already present tossed bundles of valuables into horse drawn wagons. In the middle of the brigand's jolly, the sound of crashing crates diverted everyone's attention to a maiden who had tried to run from hiding behind a market stall. Fear gripped her body as twenty pairs of eyes stared at her.

With a dark smile, the gruff man cooed. "Ain't that right lass?"

"S-stay away from me!" the maiden shrieked, the bandits already making their merciless advancement on the poor soul. "Please! Someone! HEEEEEELP!"

"Chrom, we have to stop them!" Lissa's icy hand shook her brother's arm. Chrom barely flinched at his sister's voice. His body visibly trembled in rage.

"Don't worry. After today, these bandits won't be bothering anyone ever again…" Chrom nodded to sister before running after the terrified maiden.

Meanwhile

To Robin, he could imagine himself spending time in Southtown if the place wasn't razed by outlaws. Having witness the homes swallowed by the arsenic flames and villagers despairing over their lost, the amnestic man couldn't help but run faster as his anger grew. `

"These people don't deserve this." Robin growled, the adrenaline propelling his foot off the the ground.

As much as he wanted to help, even a fool knew fighting without a weapon was suicide. Better yet, he had no idea if he could fight. The idea of throwing himself willing into the fray should have frightened him but excitement tremble through his body. No, thrilling was the word. It was as fighting was a natural thing to him.

The copious amount of smoke drifting onto the heated streets was making navigation difficult. Wiping his irritated eyes for the hundredth time, Robin was slowly approaching the center of the town. Again, he had no idea why but navigating the harsh terrain felt natural to him. As a burning house collapsed onto the road, the amnestic man was forced to venture off his intended path. Turning the street corner, Robin collided headfirst into a large shadow. Clutching his bruised forehead, the amnestic man groggily rose to sit from the ash-covered floor only to stare back into an irritated bandit. The world around Robin gradually felt distant as his eyes blurred everything but the target in front of him, the sound of roaring flames in his ears dissipating to the back of his mind.

The bandit hastily drew a stained bronze sword before pouncing onto his victim. Rolling to the side, Robin felt the razor edge narrowly miss him before sweeping his feet. Feeling the tanned boot heel connected with flesh, the bandit yelped before falling onto his back. The black-hair man leaped from the ground to deliver an elbow to the man's nose. The bandit howled in pain before a punch between his eyes shut his yelling cold. Panting, Robin snatched the lying bronze sword as the distinct sound of metal beating against metal rang closer.

Upon entering a wide open space, Robin's heart stopped momentarily at a loud shriek. His eyes singled out a maiden scrambling desperately amongst the numerous stalls and crates from a pair of bandits. Before the amnestic man could step forward, a blur of blue and gold zipped through the air. With a throaty cry, both bandits collapsed from the deep gash etched across their chest. A heartbeat later, the sound of heavy footsteps brought the figure of Frederick and Lissa. Sighing in relief of his savior's safety, Robin instinctively slid the sword into an empty sheathe strapped to his waist much to his surprise. With a weapon secured, the amnestic man waved his arms catch the blue-hair man's attention in the middle of directing the maiden to safety.

"Wait!" Robin yelled, feeling a smile stretch his cheeks at the trio's shocked expression.

"Robin!" Chrom's eyes bulged, recognizing the distinct clothing of the approaching male despite him being covered in burnt soot. "You followed us! Why?"

"I-I'm not certain myself." Robin chuckled, wiping a sweat from his ash-covered nose. "But I'm armed, and I know my way around a fight if you'll have me."

"Of course-strength in numbers." Chrom smiled. Immediately, the group braced themselves at the sound of encircling footsteps. Facing the bandits, the blue-hair lord and Robin couldn't help but grin, feeling the back of a comrade-in-arms. "Just stay close!"

With a quick nod, Robin sheathed his sword and instinctively reached for the bulge in his robe's pocket. Grasping the binding of the strange but familiar yellow cover book, Robin felt a renewal of energy course through him. At first glance, normal people would assume the letters written on the thin pages were gibberish but to a person such as Robin, they meant something.

'Well. Going to have to read this later,' Robin clasped the book shut to face the first bloodthirsty cry echoing in his direction.

Watching a large bandit sprint towards him, the black-hair man rushed forward. With the sensation of time momentarily stall, Robin began to analyze his opponent. 'Fighter, axe, inexperience, weak against magic.'

Twisting his body to dodge a heavy diagonal slash, the black-hair man extended his right arm to bring his fist into the bandit's nose. Seeing the lawless man grunted in pain and shock, the small distraction allowed Robin to leap a safe distance to set his next step in motion. Sheathing his sword, the young man drew his book and focused his conscious into its binding. With a tearing snap, blasting winds tossing the man's black locks around as energy gathered in his open left palm. Ignoring the number of golden circular sigils spinning rapidly around him, Robin's voice echoed. "_Tonitrua!" _

With a flick of his wrist, a condensed electric ball whizzed through the air. The large bandit twitched violently before dropping lifelessly face first at the foreign energy injected to his body. Turning his cold gaze back to his surroundings, the smirks of the jovial bandits fell away in hesitation and fear. Taking the initiative, Robin shut his book and immediately drew his sword at the nearest bandit. Hearing the sound of pained cries and foot clamoring echo around him, Robin felt the tension in his body fade away. Instead, a sinister urge beckon him to do one thing: smile. He was the hunter, they were the prey.

Each lethal swing of a blade and ringing success of a block were music to his ears. Leaping slightly back away from a sword thrust to his chest before countering with his own, the game he was playing only fed the twisted excitement within him. When the last of the bandit fell at his feet, Robin sighed heavily. As the hazy thrill of fighting gradually fade, the black-hair male couldn't help but frown in disgust at his ruthless handiwork. His self-lamentation was short live when he heard the cry of a particular girl.

Even amongst the overturned market stalls, he could make out two cowering villagers and Lissa pressed near a town building. Frighten but willing to fight, the young girl waved her staff desperately to keep a bandit at bay. The brigand sported numerous bruised with the most noticeable one, a hand mark on his emblazed right cheek.

"LISSA!" Chrom yelled, glancing over his shoulder at the sound of his sister in trouble.

With a raging growl, the blue-hair brother shoved his opponent, an axe-man, aside to make his way to his sister. Chrom barely took a few steps before Frederick thrust his shiny lance to counter the brigand's attack from behind. The blue-hair lord's eyes seethed with rage when bandits that were previously wary of him move to interfere in his rescue attempt.

As the ornate staff head smashed onto his bruised arm with a thwack, the undeterred bandit knocked Lissa's staff out of her hand with his fist. Robin's body raced across the death field, his the coldness in his heart growing with every beat as Lissa curled her body to shield the terrified villagers while the bandit readied to deal the killing blow. When a sword-wielding bandit ran to intercept him with a slash, Robin instinctively stepped to the side. His movement, however, was a bit slow earning him a large cut through his coat and upper right arm. Hissing in pain, Robin drew his sword at blinding speed and ferocity at his attacker's neck. As the crumpled body fell to the floor, the black-hair man used all of his momentum to drive his blade through Lissa's attacker. With a pained scream and brutal tug, Robin let the warm body fall harmlessly aside before kneeling to his savior's sister.

"You all right?" Robin gasped heavily, casually wiping the freshly splattered blood on his face.

Lissa shakily nodded to Robin with a pale face. Unlike her brother and Frederick, this was her first real battle and experience with death since joining the Shepherds. As a cleric, she could handle the sight of blood but the amount spilling onto the streets was more than she could handle in a lifetime. Perhaps, she thought, her naivety lead her profess the wrong career.

"Take them to safety. I'll be right behind you." the black-hair man rose to his feet, steadying his sword at the vengeful cries of two angry bandits quickly approaching him. "Go!"

With the sound of blades clashing faded behind her, Lissa instruct the two villagers the whereabouts of the others in hiding. Once she knew she was alone, the blonde girl leaned onto the nearest untouched building to keep herself from hurling. The nausea in her gut caused her to break out in cold-sweat, the buildup of vile in the back of her throat burned. She had joined the Shepherds to keep an eye out for her reckless brother but the scenario playing out around her shattered her views of reality. She chose to excel in the healing arts rather than combat as the idea of hurting someone was never her forte, but to kill… this was too much. Lissa curled her body to ride the sickening feeling until she heard the sound of running footsteps.

"Hey! Stay awake on me. I can't lose you now." Robin scrapped to his knees cupping the girl's face in his fingerless leather hand. Seeing life return to the blonde girl's eyes, he bowed his head in relief. "Gah…you scared me for a sec. Can you stand at least?"

Nodding, Lissa blushed slightly at the hoisting hands secured on her shoulder and waist. The sensation was rather comforting. With her staff back in hand, the blonde girl silently followed the black-hair stranger back to the fighting.

'How is he so calm?' Lissa tensed, her eyes refusing to glance at the trail of slain bandits no doubt left by Robin's sword.

With the conflict temporarily averted, the two made their way to the quiet Town's Square. Stopping at the voice of Chrom and Frederick, Lissa and Robin sighed. Their echoing steps were leagues above comforting over the raging flames around them.

"Is anyone hurt?" Chrom eyed the pair before running to his sister. After checking his sister for wounds and found nothing but small cuts, the blue-hair man sighed. Turning to Robin, Chrom smiled. "Thank Naga, I owe you-"

Seeing his friend body wobble, the blue-hair man noticed Robin's pale face with a large cut on his upper arm. Before the black-hair male could hide his wounds, Chrom grabbed Robin who immediately winced in pain. The blue-hair lord grimace, his gaze followed the trail of blood steadily gush from a large deep gash. "It would be foolish to leave a wound untreated."

Robin quietly chuckled before allowing Chrom to help set him sitting on an over turned crate. "Lissa!"

"R-right." Lissa rushed to her brother's side. After a brief inspection, the blonde girl opened her satchel and laid out a cloth to set her equipment on the stone floor. Upon wiping and disinfecting the wounds, Lissa gripped her staff. 'Ok, Lissa, just like you practiced.'

With a concentrated look, the blonde girl brought her staff to the arm wound. Robin felt a wave of calmness over take him as strength and warmth returned to his numbed arm. When the healing was done, Robin looked at the area previously wounded. The healing made it look as if he was never injured save for the large rip on his robe.

'Guess you can't have everything,' Robin frowned at the damage to his clothes before flexing his healed arm to check for any discomfort.

Thanking Lissa, Robin couldn't help but listen to Chrom and Frederick's quiet bickering in deciding their next move. Hearing the exchange of half-thought out strategies, Robin felt every nerve in his body tingle with irritation.

'Unless we want to sit in the middle of a sea of flames, your plans will fail Chrom,' the black-hair stranger snorted before turning his gaze to his surroundings. His eyes glance over the smoke and burning house debris but a movement caught his attention. Slowly, he began to notice numerous gray figures moving in the distance. With a final squint, Robin could feel his senses absorbing the information around him and constructing the entire scenario in his mind.

"Hmm, it's strange." Robin mumbled, barely loud enough to catch the attention of Chrom. "I can…Well, I can 'see things.."

"See things? Like what?" Chrom looked to the black-hair man questionably.

"The enemy's strength, their weaponry, the flow of battle…it feels like I've studied this before." Robin rubbed his chin, observing the group of bandits steadily approaching the group.

"So, you're saying you can size up the enemy at a glance?" Chrom gasped, half-shocked and awed at the realization of the stranger's trade. Lissa and Frederick glanced at each other in silence as Robin closed his eyes.

"Yes, it would seem so. And perhaps more, if I apply myself…" Robin's voice trailed off, allowing his mind to nitpick every piece of information presented, refining a strategy to decimate his opponents.

"Regardless, you've lent us your strength, and that makes you a friend." Chrom politely cough, smiling at the interesting stranger before him.

"Likewise." Robin opened his eyes, chuckling before gesturing the Shepherd's attention towards a new wave of bandits.

Reminiscing on the previous experience where all three Shepherds were caught isolated, Robin steel himself to Chrom with a proposal. "I suggest we stay close together. We'll be much stronger when we all fight together."

"Right." Chrom nodded, wondering to himself of strangest day of his life.

Within an hour, Chrom with the aid of Robin and his Shepherds ended the brigand threat after they slew the bandit leader. With the brains of their operation gone, the rest of the bandits fell into disarray before scattering into the woods.

With the raid finally over, the villagers hurried to the wells and river to put out the fire still burning their homes. As a warm breeze swept the last of the smoke covering the street, Robin collapsed onto a crate of goods with a heavy thud. In one day, he had met new friends, woke up in a new land, and fought for its people. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't hear the approaching footsteps until he felt something wet poking his face.

Robin's eyes immediately shot up, standing up so fast that he crashed into Chrom. Grunting in pain, Robin noticed the closeness and tinged cheeks of Chrom's face. Realizing he was atop of his friend, Robin scrambled frantically to his feet with Chrom mirroring the action. The awkwardness was finally broken as stifled giggles exploded into howling laughter. Unamused at first, Chrom and Robin couldn't help but laugh along in relief that the battle was over.

Catching her breath, Lissa turned to Robin flashing a bright smile, "We were lucky the town was close by but holy wow you're incredible. I mean swords, sorcery, AND tactics!"

"Well, I'm not that incredible." Robin lightly blushed at the blonde girl's praise, taking a drink from the offered waterskin.

"You're certainly no helpless victim that much is for sure." Chrom grunted, dusting himself while raising to his feet.

"Indeed." Frederick's voice interjected as the sound of armor clattering drew louder. "Perhaps you might even be capable of an explanation for how you came here?"

"I understand you skepticism Frederick." Robin sighed. "But I can't explain why only parts of my memories return to me. Please, believe me. I've shared all that I know."

As the words hung in the air, Chrom looked to his knight and sister before breaking the silence. "He's fought to save Ylissean lives. My heart says that's enough."

"And your mind, milord?" Frederick hesitantly asked, his brown eyes gazed carefully over Robin.

"Frederick, the Shepherd could use someone with Robin's talents. Today was just a show of how brigands and unruly neighbors are all looking to bloody our soil." Chrom gestured to the homes that unfortunately did not escape the fire. "Would you really have us lose an able tactician as odd as his story might be?"

When his knight shook his head, Chrom turned to the black-hair male relieved.

"So what about it?" Chrom extended his hand to a surprised Robin. "Will you join us?"

Considering his options, Robin knew he could have left the group when they left him during the bandit attack.

But he didn't.

These people were the ones who helped him when he woke up helplessly lost in a new land. Even though he didn't know them too well, they were already important to him. Robin looked at the Mark branded on his hand before looking to Chrom. Joining the blue-hair man would provide him a safe and stable environment if he intended to recover his lost memories. Even if his efforts were for naught, the possibility of forging new ones sounded enticing.

With a heartfelt smile, the newly appointed tactician grasped Chrom's hand. "I would be honored."


	4. Chapter 2: Of Days Beyond

_**An ordinary stroll through the countryside for Chrom and Lissa becomes an eventful day upon meeting an amnestic man lying in a grass field called Robin. Having repelled the bandits attacking Southtown, Robin is offered a place in the Shepherds.**_

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Of Days Beyond<strong>

"Frederick, sometimes I hate you," Lissa pouted, earning the laughter of Chrom and Robin in response.

The four Shepherds continued on their destination trekking through the grassy countryside.

Before leaving for Ylisstol, a villager had approached Chrom offering him and his Shepherds a free evening meal and room. Because of Frederick's insistence of returning and Chrom's agreement much to Lissa's dismay, the group had walked long after the sun had set.

"I told you-it's getting dark already!" Lissa whined, her boot kicking aside a poor rock off the road.

When she received no witty reply, the blonde girl glance over her back seeing Chrom engaged in a deep animated conversation with Robin. The way her brother spoke and laughed earnestly alongside the newest member of the Shepherds made her happy and slightly envious.

'It's so strange for someone like him to be in caught in all of this. I wond-' Lissa found her thoughts cruelly returned to reality when a swarm of moths flew past the group.

"Ech! And now the bugs are out!" the blonde girl shrieked, flailing her arms causing everyone to stop and watch.

"Come on now, Lissa. Hardship builds character" the blue-hair male wave aside a moth before laughing.

In all of her years, she had never seen as bright as smile from Chrom. Before she could retaliate with a comment of her own, a moth flew straight into her mouth. Irritated, she swallowed without second thought…

"Yeeeeuck!...I think I swallowed it" Lissa gagged, spitting fuzz and the foul taste stuck at the back of her throat. Chrom and Robin broke out in laughter which further annoyed her.

Pouting, she crossed her arms and stood her ground. "I think I've built QUITE enough character for one day!"

On cue, a large rumbling noise echoed the evening air. Everyone turned to the source of the noise. Looking down at himself, Robin nervously chuckled absentmindedly patting his stomach. He had been caught up in his discussion gathering all the information he could with Chrom that hunger slipped his mind.

"We should probably think about food. I don't know about you, but I'm starving," the black-hair tactician smiled.

"Yes, I should think a little hunting and gathering is in order." Frederick nodded. Looking at the forest surrounding for a few calculated seconds, the great knight motioned to an oval clearing lightly surrounded by trees. "This looks like a perfect spot."

Everyone remained silent when a dark hungry glint flashed in Frederick's eyes while rubbing his hand. "Who wants to clear a campsite?"

The air snap as the campfire roared to life. Fat sizzling from the hunk of meat placed carefully on top of the flames filled the nostrils of nearby hungry animals and Shepherds.

"It's been too long since I last had bear meat," Chrom grunted while viciously tearing away at a large portion of his game share.

The Shepherds' latest victim had thought attacking Chrom and Robin while collecting firewood would make a tasty evening treat. A blast of lethal energy and well placed blows from razor sharp weapons made the creature realized too late it had more bargained than it could handle.

When a charred log snapped, Chrom glance over to his sister who had refused to touch her slab of cooked bear meat.

"What's wrong, Lissa? Dig in," Chrom made effort to swallow his mouthful before talking.

"No thank you." Lissa repulsively pushed her warm share away. "Gods, couldn't you spear us an animal NORMAL people eat for once?"

She continued. "I mean, come on! Who eats bear?! Right Robin?"

When she received no answer, Lissa looked across the fire."...Uh Robin?"

While Frederick stared at his lord to distract himself from the game meat placed in front of him, tasting the prepared bear meat was heaven to Robin. Even with the hand-sized portion down his gullet, the famished tactician seized another portion of bear meat and began devour the gamey delicacy. Lissa sighed with her support against eating bear gone, shooting a glare while Chrom chuckled to himself.

A long trail of smoke continued to rise towards the sky despite the campfire dying out hours ago. Feeling thirsty, Chrom pulled the thin wool blanket off his body. Groggily approaching the rear of Frederick's sleeping horse where his water skin dangled, the air hung ominously quiet.

"Hmm?" Chrom frowned, clearly bothered at uneasiness lingering around him. Clasping his waterskin cork shut and hurriedly securing his sword to his waist, the blue-hair male began to walk into the forest's depth.

The sound of shuffling footsteps woke Lissa from her delicate sleep, rising from her make shift-bed annoyed. Her eyes widen at the dwindling figure of her brother walking further into the evening forest.

'What's Chrom doing up at a time like this?' Lissa quickly tied her boots and carefully tiptoed after him. She eventually caught up to her brother who oddly paused to scan the forest in search of something. Yawning, she approached Chrom. "What's wrong, Big Brother?"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you, but…" Chrom's eyes scanned the dark forest, "something is amiss…"

Crossing her arms at her brother in confusion, Lissa noticed something odd upon waking earlier. The blonde girl strained her ears to listen. "Where did the birds go?"

A breeze flowed past the duo but not even a leaf swished in response. It was quiet. Deathly quiet.

"Something is wrong here," Chrom's body instinctively tensed, the sensation of impending danger flashed around him.

The young lord felt his heart leap to his throat when the ground trembled violently beneath the sole of his feet. Nearly falling over, Lissa latched desperately onto her brother's arm.

"Agh! Stay close!" Chrom buck forward uncontrollably, locking his bent knees low to the ground.

Soon, loud crashes echoed throughout the forest as rows of trees began toppling in their direction.

"Lissa, run." Chrom order through his semi-grit teeth, the sound of trees falling slowly drowned out his voice.

"Huh?" Lissa looked up to her brother terrified. In all of her years, she had never seen such an event unfolding before her. With a strong push from Chrom, that was all the motivation she needed to pick up her feet and run.

The two could hardly see in the dark, dashing and leaping over fallen branches through the forest ground while sections of the earth crack and split apart. Without looking back, a wall of molten earth spewed from the crevices tossing flaming debris high into the air. In a few seconds, the cataclysm had lit the forest and evening sky up.

The two eventually stopped to catch their breaths, slowly allowing fresh cool air to return to their exhausted lungs. Suddenly, a cold sensation followed by a bright light above caught Lissa's attention. Pointing to the number of enormous sigils ripped open the sky, the siblings could only watch in helplessness. "Chrom what is that?"

When the earth shook followed by a loud rumble, Robin and Frederick woke up to a burning forest. Upon seeing Chrom and Lissa's empty blankets, Frederick quickly unpacked his spear and horse with Robin following in tow. They eventually found the two panting at the edge of the forest untouched by the firestorm.

"Milord! Milady!" The great knight cried out.

"Frederick! Robin!" Lissa shouted, for once glad in her life to see the stick in the mud knight and the friendly tactician. The four Shepherds barely had time to rejoice at their regrouping when sickening gurgles and glowing red eyes began to pierce the darkness around them. Frederick's horse whined in fear while the great knight and Robin wrinkled their nose in disgust. Even with their sense of smell numbed in the wake of the foul aroma, the smell was best described as a mixture of different carcasses left in the sun for days before abominably stitched together by a twisted mind.

"Gah. Are such horrific creatures common in these lands?" Robin mumbled through his hand, his mind doing its best to process and analyzed what he assumed was a walking corpse spewing black miasma from its charred mangled mouth.

"They're not from Ylisse, I promise you that," Chrom gripped his sword tightly. The sound of lumbering movement over dried leaves and encroaching darkness flickered to the dozen pairs of red glowing eyes.

"Eyes open now!" Frederick brandished his lance atop of his mount. "We know nothing about this enemy."

With an agonizing twisted groan, the monsters flailed forward.

Armor bashed against another while horse whining rang through the air. In a horror story come true, he living clashed with the dead. Tugging his horse's rein sharply, Frederick swept his silver lance breaking claws and rustic weapons. At the same time, the silver edge cleaved through three monster corpses midsection. Black mist scattered into the burning forest much to the great knight and Robin's surprise. Upon taking a whiff of the mysterious air, the tactician doubled over into a violent coughing fit.

'Crap!' the tactician frantically waved his sword while pounding his chest to expel the burning sulfuric air trapped in his chest.

"I got you!" Lissa roughly tugged Robin's hood, forcing the male onto his bum, narrowly avoiding several corpses hammered their weapon into the earth.

"URRAH!" Chrom slammed his shoulder into one of the monster with a sandbag sewn to its neck before pirouette his blade and body with careful aims to the neck. Clouds of miasma burst once more but a gold and blue blur immediately jumped to Robin's fallen side.

"Get up! They're coming!" the young lord grinded his heel into the dry earth, readying his sword to eye level at the new frenzied wave of corpses barreling from the burning forest.

As the fighting progressed, the Shepherds retreated further into the forest occasionally turning to counter-attack. Robin gritted his teeth upon hearing a crack in his blade upon slashing off a corpse's arm before retreating away from the abominable concoction that followed with death. One corpse monster seeing the distraction quickly advanced stumbling a bit before raising its claw hands with a savage horizontal sweep. Sensing the killing intent, the tactician immediately retreat with a short hop only to feel his back roughly colliding with a tree trunk.

Instinctively, Robin ducked beneath the blow and internally cringed at the blade hands chopped halfway through the tree only to get stuck. Hearing the tree creak ominously, Robin jammed the pommel of his sword into corpse breaking the blade from grafted to its hand before circling behind the trunk delivering with a kick. A deafen snap followed by a ground trembling experience resulted in several corpses squirming under the fallen timber.

Nearby, Chrom growled while using his glimmering blade to knock aside a disruptive claw swipe intended for Lissa who was busily cleaning Frederick's horse wound. With the corpse's body slumped mostly to the floor, the blue-hair male swiftly plunge her sword into the side of the corpse's sandbag covered head before sliding to the back of its skull removing its head completely.

'Abnormal human capabilities, unintelligent, danger in large numbers,' the tactician's eyes flashed observing the flow of battle. Taking a deep breath, Robin shower the forest ground blasting innumerable holes in a hail of magical thunder bolts.

Despite the damage the group could return when attacked, their stamina and strength were dwindling dangerously low in the face of a numerous force. After sending Frederick to scout ahead, the great knight returned with information regarding two abandon forts nearby. After considering the narrow corridors and stony fortification, Chrom heeded Robin's request to entrench themselves in the forts.

"Shepherds! Fall back!"

With the siblings protected in the fort's confides for the time being, Robin recruited the great knight aid much to the latter's reluctance in coordinating a delay strategy. Upon riding to random points, the tactician used his magic to blast holes into nearby trees deep enough for Frederick's mount momentum to topple the lumber over. Having significantly slowed the unknown creatures' movements, the tactician mentally reviewed and prepared to share his observed notes. While the Shepherds studied the enemy and their positions around the map which Robin miraculous drew up with flints and spared paper, no one saw two human figures approaching the flaming battle site.

"Agh, I knew I shouldn'ta left 'em. Captain Chrom!" the first figure tugged roughly on her horse's rein to a halt, her raised shouting echoed hollow through the empty forest.

Like her steed, she was dressed in red armor that matched her short cut hair. Seeing a disgusting corpse monster lumbering, into view, the female readied herself with her lance to skewer the abomination However, an arrow zipped past her ear hitting the corpse between its sack covered sunken- eyes.

"Hold, milday!" the second figure huffed, announcing his presence dressed in noble clothing while brandishing a bow with a teal quiver slung across his hip.

"…The hell are you?!" the red hair woman twisted her figure to face the newcomer.

With a smirk, the noble bowed before answering with a clear thick accent. "Is the lady intrigued?"

At once, the noble launched into a grandeur speech which the red hair immediately rolled her eyes in annoyance. However, her attitude shifted for the worse when the nobleman's further words caused her to kick him in the face with her armored foot.

"Oh! What strong legs you have!" the nobleman staggered to his feet while clutching his bruised cheek.

Hearing the growing commotion outside, Robin halted his discussion to peek his head slight out a fort window. "Chrom, do you know them?"

"The one in red armor is Sully, another shepherd. However, the person she's talking to is someone I've not seen before," Chrom's eyes narrowed. The exquisite dressed man was clearly annoying his childhood friend.

"As long as they can help, I don't care." Robin's eyes glimmered. 'I got a plan now!'

With the arrival of reinforcements, the Shepherds found themselves thrown back into the fray but with an understanding of their opponents and organized attack plan. The tactician was glad Sully was on his side as the female caviler struck with a ferocious grace to any walking corpse that stood in her path. Robin clutch his sword parrying away to let a charging bronze lance toss the walking corpse into the air. Fighting alongside her was the stranger called Virion much to her annoyance. Despite his wish-washy speeches, his skills as an archer were not exaggerated. Arrow after arrow continued to whistle in the air picking off stray threats Sully couldn't reach with flawless accuracy.

Upon clearing off the second wave of walking corpse, Frederick was sent ahead to draw as many of walking corpse to open trenched paths where the rest of the Shepherds would emerge from hiding to topple semi-cut trees. Once the enemy halted their advancement in mass confusion, Robin alongside Chrom rushed from hiding on both sides to sweep aside any surviving monsters. Any allied combatants who sustained heavy injury were instantly relieved by Sully or Frederick circling the flanks. When one of the two was unoccupied, they help bring them to Lissa's healing hands. With these counter-measures implemented, the tactician orchestrated a complete routing and victory within the hour.

"It seems all the creatures are vanquished," Frederick cracked his tensed neck before returning to his stiff posture, watching Chrom pull his blade out from the torso of a large walking corpse wearing a sewn masked bag over its head.

"This young man took care of the rest," the knight cautiously gestured to a slim person with blue-hair wearing a butterfly mask standing by a tree.

When the man did not answer, Lissa approached the masked man shyly." Um, I never got to thank you…for before." A bit red in the face, she continued. "So…thank you."

"You saved my sister's life," Chrom sheathed his sword before approaching the slim man. "My name is Chrom. Might I ask yours?'

After a silent moment, the young man answered. To the untrained ear, the voice was well-trained but Robin was sure the 'man' was a woman. "You may call me Marth."

"After the heroic king of old?" Chrom's surprised gaze shifted to the eyes hidden behind Marth's unique butterfly mask. "Well, you certainly fight like a hero."

When Marth turned to leave, the blue-hair male eyes shifted downwards catching a glimpse at the mysterious savior's sword. An aura of familiarity reflecting the blade pinged Chrom's attention. "Where did you learn your way with a sword?"

Marth paused in 'his' step before answering with his back turned. The response sent a shiver through Robin. "I'm not here to talk about me. What you saw tonight was but a prelude. You have been warned."

"Not much for conversation, is he?" the amnestic male watched Marth's retreating figure vanished into the evening.

"Indeed," Frederick eyes momentarily lingered in the direction of Marth before turning to Chrom. "But for now, I'm more concerned about the capital. We should make haste."

With the orders given, everyone dispersed to gather their belongings. Robin silently packed what little possession he owned while recapping the events leading to the morning thus far.

'First bandits, and then walking corpses. To finally top it all off, warnings of a dire future from a stranger of questionable gender... I think this world has gone mad,' the black-hair chuckled.

With a slight grunt, the young man dropped his tied packed content into one of his hooded robe pockets which he pleasantly discovered were large.

"Hey, Robin!" Lissa's voice echoed in his ear.

The petite size girl skipped towards him holding a long thin wrapped package in her arms.

"What is it, Lissa?" Robin eyed the strange item before looking back to Chrom's baby sister.

"Thanks again for help us. It means a lot," Lissa smiled, unconsciously holding the package closer to her chest.

'That smile,' Robin felt his heart skip a beat.

He had seen plenty of smiles back at the Southtown but the grins of the two siblings were different. If he had to describe them in one word, it was bright. Whenever Chrom smiled, he felt reassured and safe. But when Lissa smiled, he felt happy and at peace.

"Aaaaaaanyway," she continued, "I wanted to give you this."

Robin gingerly took the offered package and peeled away the cloth. With a gasp, the black-hair male slowly raised a simple but elegant sword decorated by a gold hilt and blue grip into the moonlight.

"Frederick found it in the fort we were hiding," Lissa giggled at Robin's failed attempt to shut close his flabbergasted mouth. "We know your other sword broke during the fight."

Without a word, Robin set the new sword and wrapping cloth to the grassy floor before drawing his bronze sword. The razor edge was significantly dulled and half of the blade was completely snapped. After wrapping his broken sword away, Robin happily sheathed his gifted sword to his waist.

"You guys are the best. Thanks!" the black-hair male heartily laughed.

She never thought she would meet a mysterious person as skillful as her big brother in the world. As Robin tested his new sword in a series of motions, Lissa found comfort at the close proximity of the strange male. In an unexplainable way, Robin was someone she wanted to learn more about: the mystery of his origin, his terrifying intelligence, his charming personality. It was the same feeling the very moment her eyes stole a glance at Robin's face. Only now, it felt like an unhealthy obsession.

Lissa couldn't make out the words of the black-hair male lip but she found her tiny figure pulled without warning into a tight hug. Secretly, she was glad Robin couldn't see her blushing face. Time seemed to slow down for her, the moment felt like an eternity as she embraced the warm hold in return. Her eardrums were deafened by the thundering of her racing heart. Perhaps it was-

"Ahem," Frederick covered his mouth with a curled fist to clear his throat, visibly uncomfortable at the close proximity of the two Shepherds.

With a jolt, Lissa immediately broke herself away from Robin's arm. The black-hair man blinked in bewildered at the tensed atmosphere before looking to the great knight.

"If you're done, we need to head to Ylisstol as quickly as possible," Frederick casted Robin a harsh glare before bowing to Lissa.

As the sound armor footsteps faded into the twilight, Robin watched the blonde female excused herlsef with a nervous chuckle. Left alone to his thoughts once more, the tactician began speculating the reason behind the tense atmosphere just moments ago. With a silent o, Robin glanced to his hands with a quiet mumble.

"Did I just…"


	5. Chapter 3: Enter the Beast Den

_**Chrom and his band of Shepherds are heading back to the capital, Ylisstol with their newest member, Robin. But their evening turns south as fiery eruptions and the walking dead stalk the forest they were camped in. With the aid of a knight, archer, and cryptic wanderer, Robin survives the first day since his awakening.**_

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 3: Enter the Beast Den<strong>

The chilling dawn gradually warm as orange streaks along the horizon indicate the rising of the sun. By the time the day rose to its peak, travelers could see hundreds of acres of blackened trees and elevated land north of Southtown. While walking ahead of his group, Chrom pondered to himself if the day before was a dream. Since the first day he was allowed to carry his sword, the blue-hair man never knew so much trouble could happen from one meeting.

First, there were the marauding bandits. Second, the sudden appearance of unknown monsters with Marth which he believed was somehow involved. Last, but most importantly, was Robin. With a past even a mystery to the man himself, Chrom couldn't help but feel like a different new man when around his newly joined tactician.

Throughout his youth, Chrom had been surrounded by high-ranking officials and wealthy nobles that spoke nothing but sweet flattery to his ears and feign interest in whatever he said. During the campfire meal, Chrom had learned while conversing with Robin that he was an individual who listened and spoke from his heart. To freely talk with another person as an equal was something Chrom desired until now. With Robin, he found what his life was missing. It was as if the tactician was the brother he never had.

Suddenly, Chrom stopped upon exiting the forest. Robin following close behind the blue-hair man barely held his body back from crashing atop of his friend twice in their meeting. Annoyed at the turn of event, the black-hair amnestic felt his anxiety leave him, gasping upon peering around Chrom's bare right shoulder.

Spread out along the grassy plain was a large decorated city with a number of streams flowing in and out of its channels. As the group drew closer, each building was expertly crafted reflecting a modern look but retaining its roots. The white walls were decorated with large blue-gold banners emblazing the mark that bears a resemblance to the marking on Chrom's right shoulder dangled beautiful under the bright sky. The largest building that was atop of a hill was the palace which Robin assumed to be where the Exalt governed.

The brick road the group filed into was filled with ordinary and occasionally people of unique clothing which the black-hair male assumed hailed from different lands.

"It appears the capital was spared the chaos we encountered." Frederick quickly returned to Chrom's side upon presenting and handing over his mount and silver lance to a guard stationed at the main gate. "I also see no evidence of the great quake. It must've been limited to the forest."

Lissa overjoyed at returning home bounced energetically around the weary travelling Shepherds. "Well, that's a relief!"

Immediately, Virion detached from the group and walked up to the nearest maiden he spotted. As the noble continue to present himself in the most dramatic way Robin and passing shoppers had ever seen, Sully disgusted by the flowery display dismissed herself to the Shepherd's barracks. Like a hawk, Virion disengaged from his theatric and quickly paid for a rose he snatched from a nearby flower bin before pursuing Sully.

"Look!" an old man shouted atop of a balcony. "The exalt has come to see us!"

Walking in the middle of the cleared road was a tall blonde woman dressed in a simple but elegant designed gold and green cloak. In the back of her hair was a unique gold headpiece shaped in a reversed crescent moon. The most noticeable feature about her was the same brand Chrom had on him but on her forehead. Over a dozen Pegasus Knights (thanks to Frederick's explanation) were marched slowly to the side closely watching their Exalt.

"If I remember correctly, the Exalt is your ruler?" Robin anxiously glanced to the great knight.

With a proud lingering gaze, Frederick nodded. "Yes. Her name is Lady Emmeryn."

"Is it safe for her to walk among commoners like this?" Robin glance back to the road noticing a particular regal looking Pegasus knight standing close to Emmeryn observing him.

"The exalt is a symbol of peace-Ylisse's most prized quality." Frederick cleared his throat. "Long ago, the first exalt joined forces with the divine dragon in a time a fell dragon tried to destroy the world. Exalt Emmeryn reminds us all of the peace we fought for then."

The more Robin learned about Ylisse's history, the more he felt lucky that Chrom and co. found him instead of bandits.

"With Plegia poking at our borders, the people need her. She's a calming presence…" Chrom's eyes gazed off into the distance before darken. "Whereas some might otherwise call for war."

Patting Chrom armored shoulder piece, Robin offered a comforting smile, "Then the Ylissean people are indeed lucky to have her."

"She's also the best big sister anyone could ask for!" Lissa ceased her energetic waving as her sister returned the greeting before walking past the group.

"I imagine she…" Robin nodded before jolting in realization. 'The regal clothing, the terms used by Frederick, and the mark. How could have I be so stupid to not notice?'

"But wouldn't that make you and Chrom…" the black hair male nervously swallowed, processing the sudden knowledge he was standing in the presence of royalty.

"The prince and princess of the realm, yes…" Frederick glared. "You remember Chrom's name and not this?"

"You said you were 'Shepherds!" Robin agitatedly scratched the back of his head.

"In a manner of speaking we are." Chrom offered a hearty grin. "We just have a LOT of sheep."

"Ugh, I am so sorry Chrom." Robin imitated a deep bow, "…I mean Prince Chrom! Sire!"

Chuckling with a hint of disappointment, Chrom waved him off, "Just Chrom is fine. I've never been much for formalities."

With a sigh, Robin watched the blue-hair lord walk in the direction of the palace. "Looks like Emm is returning to the palace. Would you like to meet her?"

The meeting with Emmeryn was brief but he left the throne room feeling pleasant after being surrounded by an overwhelm aura of love and compassion. The Pegasus knight that the black-hair tactician caught staring happened to be the Captain of the Pegasus Knight of Ylisse called Phila. Upon hearing the mention of an emergency council meeting to discuss the events appearing across Ylisse, Lissa snatched Robin away to the Shepherd's barracks located in the palace's storage-house.

The first person to greet Robin upon entering the large wooden doors was a blonde girl called Maribelle who rudely shoved him aside to leap enveloping Lissa's arm in a deep hug. The second person was a shirtless man called Vaike with bulging muscles while constantly referring to himself in third person while alternating nicknames. The last person was a female called Sumia covered a in pale pink colored armor similar to a Pegasus knight but trip…on nothing.

'I'm supposed to guide these people to victory?! Are there any normal people in the Shepherds?' Robin's worried eyes constantly flickered towards one of the Barrack's far corner where a large shadow…waved at him.

His eyes followed the exaggerating poses Vaike continue to make while Lissa sat atop of a crate giggled in amusement. The other blonde female Shepherd constantly flashed a death glare at the idiotic fighter before trying to re-engage in conversation with her 'bosom' friend. Sully and Virion were nowhere to be seen and the other Shepherds mentioned at the barrack introduction were in the back of his mind.

"Ah…" a quiet female voice cause Robin to jolt.

"Huh?!" Robin jolted with a twist. Nervously twiddling her fingers to his left was Su-su…. "Sorry, I forgot your name."

"Uh, it's alright." Sumia gently smiled. Robin returned with a grin of his own before silence fell once more between the two.

"The first meeting is rather overwhelming but we all learned to get along." the pegasus knight nervously mumbled, her armored greaves clutched something desperately in her hand.

"What's that you're holding?" Robin focused at the pleasant aroma permeating his nose. With a heavy sigh, Sumia uncurled her hand to reveal… "Daisies?!"

"These are for my flower fortunes" the brunette turned her gaze in embarrassment. "It's strange isn't it? I'm sorry. I'll lea-"

"Wait!" Robin exclaimed, his echoing voice turning all heads in his direction. "I don't find it strange. Rather I'm intrigued."

"She only does her flower fortune when she's nervous!" Vaike cackled across the room earning him a swift whack from Maribelle's mini parasol.

"Refrain yourselves from using your outdoor voice while indoors you lowborn imbecile." the blonde Troubadour eye's flashed dangerous before focusing them to Robin.

The black-hair tactician chuckled to himself while Vaike and Maribelle began to argue with Lissa trying to mediate the situation. Glancing back at Sumia, Robin looked at the daisy tightly wrapped in her fingers. Reach delicately with his slender fingers, he plucked the flower and twirled the small plant in his hand.

"I'm sorry for causing you trouble but do you mind giving me a flower fortune? Please?" Robin clapped his hand together.

Flinching with a surprised gasp, Sumia looked to the newest Shepherd. "Really?!"

Nodding, Robin offered the daisy back in his friend's hand. "So how does it work?"

Smiling, the brunette set the daisy aside and took another daisy from her pouch slung behind her left hip. "Well, you have to…."

An hour quickly passed before the meeting in the Royal Palace adjourned. Chrom made his way to find his Shepherds and found the newest member comfortably chatting and exchanging witty comments amongst the others. With a hard knock, all eyes turned to the prince stepping proudly into the barrack. From the council's decision, Chrom was chosen as ambassador to carry out a diplomatic expedition meant to request aid from Ylisse's northern country, Regna Ferox.

Having received his first mission, Robin knew his first ordeal was to take count and organize the Shepherd's inventory. While inspecting equipment and supplies, memories began to resurface in the amnestic man's mind which only served help to increase the speed he worked. Piles of stacked documents and orders left at his desk were dealt with mechanically efficiency causing everyone nearby to stare in awe. Before the black-hair tactician shut the barrack doors behind him, Robin swore to himself that a heavy breeze walked past him before rushing off to meet Chrom.

"Is everyone ready?" the Ylissean prince's voice boomed, overseeing the last Shepherds gather at the exit of the castle gate. "We've a long march ahead."

"W-wait for me!" a panting voice cried in the distance. As the figure galloped closer, Robin noticed the man had messy brown hair wearing a green armor similar to Sully's riding hunched over on top of his horse.

"Stahl?" Chrom concernedly marched over to examine his best knight's beaten arrival.

"Why am I the last to hear about this expedition to Ferox?" the green armored male known as Stahl gasped exhaustedly.

"Huh? Vaike was supposed…" Lissa stood next her brother frowning before her eyes bulge at the answer dawning on her. The princess Shepherd strained her neck and pointed to the shirtless man. "Vaike! Did you forget to tell Stahl about our mission?"

"The Vaike never forgets!" the muscular warrior beat his chest in protest before mumbling quietly about not always remembering.

'Great. We're not even out the steps and it's already doomed to failed." Robin groaned, rubbing his face in irritation.

"Sorry, Robin. This is Stahl, one of our finest." Chrom introduced a Shepherd the tactician regrettably yet to memorize by name.

"Hello, Robin." Stahl finally caught his breath before offering his firm hand to Robin. "Miriel told me we had a new Shepherd." When the black-hair man looked at Stahl in confusion, he realized his mistake and continued to explain. "Miriel's one of our mages. She should catch up soon."

"Right." Robin gestured the cavalier to the convoy wagons at the back before nodding to Chrom.

With the small introductions over, the Shepherds left the steps of Ylisstol. The scenario returned to the familiar background of grassy plain but the amnestic man found himself marching with a different purpose.

'Sumia, Maribelle, Virion…Sully, Stahl…' the black-hair male consciously repeated the list of Shepherd names in his mind. His earlier mistake at the barracks was failing to remember names as Robin recalled something from one of his recovered memories.

'_Familiarize yourself with your allies and they will reveal themselves to you. Then, work on what you know to maximize their potential.' _

Having remembered the names of his fellow Shepherds, Robin found himself walking in boredom for the next couple of hours. Suddenly, a cold jolt snapped the black-hair tactician from his dazed thoughts and his vision began observing the number of figures appearing in the distance.

"Chrom. Enemies up ahead" Robin's voice caused everyone to halt. Chrom paused to face his tactician's figure busily running with his tome ready before glancing in the pointed direction at the shadows emerging from the nearby forest.

Horses began to whine and people began to vocalize their disgust at the smell of walking corpses invaded their nose.

"Gods, have the Risen spread this far?" Chrom's eyes watched in horror recognizing the sickening movements skittering across the grassy plain.

"Risen?" Robin turned to Chrom after dismissing a scout. 'Is that what these things are?'

"We needed a name for this new threat." Frederick steadied his galloping mount before looking to Robin and his lord.

Vaike began to laugh as the boredom of marching came to an end. "They'll remember ME once I drive my axe into their…" Swinging his axe arm, Vaike noticed his arm feel lighter. Looking at his hand, Vaike gasped silently and began to scramble amongst the Shepherd's rank.

"What are you doing?!"Robin gasped in horror as Vaike continued his search out of line.

"Where's my axe?! I had it a second ago!" the blonde hair male dropping his third person monologue for the first time.

"Vaike, this is no time for jokes…" Chrom growled. The smell of rotten flesh drew closer with each passing second and every Shepherd could see the Risens. Like Robin and the ones who fought them the previous night, day time made the monster look even worse as their blacken skin hung revealing pale skin beneath and sunken red eyes contrasted with the clear sky.

"I'm serious! I JUST had it!" Vaike wiped a sweat from his brow while peering underneath a supply carriage. "It's got to be around here somewhere…"

"Keep to the rear, then!" Chrom barked before drawing his sword. "The battle is nigh!"

Mirroring his action, the sounds of weapons being drawn rang eerily across the plain. The Shepherds stared warily into the eyes of Ylisse newest threat.

Answering their challenge, the first group of Risens roared to unlife and began their monstrous rush.


	6. Chapter 4: Solitude Come in Winter

_**Surviving the night of horror in the forest near Southtown, Chrom and his group have finally reached the capital city of Ylisse, Ylisstol. Upon arrival, Robin is presented with a startling revelation: the Chrom and Lissa he had been traveling with are the Crown Prince and Princess of the country respectively. With a new threat on the rise and escalating tension between their neighboring country, Plegia, Chrom and his Shepherds are sent to the country up north, Regna Ferox to request aid where he once again meets the new threat.**_

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 4: Solitude Comes in Winter<strong>

"BRAGH!" a Risen screeched while Sully dragging its flailing body through the grass with her lance a couple of meters away. Tugging her mount's rein upward, the horse lurched up before its front hooves crushed the corpse's armor plate chest.

"Tch!" Sully growled, shielding her eyes while her horse neighed wildly from the sudden blast of black sulfuric air.

Unlike humans, the Risen remained a threat even when dead. The red cavalier covered her nose as instructed by Robin and his shared debriefing the previous night of Risen anatomy. Grabbing her mount's rein, heaps of earth kicked into the air as her steed obeyed his mistress's command of moving forward. The moment her vision became clear, Sully found to her unpleasant surprise a Risen leaping at her.

Without hesitation, the cavalier whipped her lance upward with all her strength. Clouds of miasma dot the peaceful grass field as members of the Shepherds worked together to repel the abominations. Kicking her mount away from her latest victim, the red haired caviler eye's followed a large figure darting around the battlefield.

Despite his height, Robin weaved amongst two Risens alone before ending the deadly waltz with an upward draw before riposting into a chest thrust and twisting back into a beheading crescent slash. Without a moment to pause, the black-hair man raced across the field to Virion's side. The sword edge vibrate upon knocking aside the rusted lance tip aimed at the archer's back. Swapping his sword for a tome, Robin's hand brimmed with energy before electrocuting his foe into a cloud of dust. Sully's movements grinded to a complete halt, watching in hypnotic awe at the blinding massacre unfolding before her. As she continued her observation, the red-hair cavalier barely heard the sound of hooves thundering behind her.

"SULLY! Behind you!" Frederick yelled, thrusting his lance forward.

Hearing the sudden rush of air behind, the female cavalier clung to the right side of her mount feeling the downward breeze of a rustic sword. The Risen screeched as the great knight's lance smashed the rotten body a meter into the air.

"This is not the time to be distracted. What were you doing?" Frederick reared his horse towards his fellow Shepherd.

"Sorry, just measuring up on the new guy's skills." Sully apologized to her disgruntle senior officer before gesturing her head towards Robin's direction.

"Hmph…" the great knight frowned. His cautious eyes narrowed at the poses Virion used to praise the visibly embarrassed tactician. The caviler bit her inner lips trying her best to not laugh at Frederick's barely open eyes. "Please, remain vigilant."

Nodding in apology, the great knight's hulking figure wordlessly shifted in the direction of Chrom before cracking his mount's rein. Seconds later, the tomboyish Shepherd heard the sickening groan of a Risen wildly flailing towards her. A smile spread across the red hair woman's face as an idea came to her.

"Just hurry up and die you arse!" Sully twirled her lance in hand to bear down on her latest victim. With the Risen trampled beneath her, the red-hair kept herself from leaping in giddiness at the potential of a new sparring partner. "HIYAHH!"

Far north from the bridge and battle site, muffled groans echoed the walls of an old crumbling fort. Chrom slightly winced as his sister worked to patch Stahl's chest wound. Up till the cruel moments, the young lord's ecstatic thrill of battle had blinded him from noticing a Risen sneaking up from behind. In a bold and risky move, the green caviler threw his body in front of Chrom and took the full brunt of the axe blow before killing his attacker with a horizontal slash of his lance. Luckily, the blow was dampened by his armor chest piece and a few Shepherds nearby could scramble to protect Stahl before temporarily retreating to a safe zone.

Observing the flow of battle behind the fort's stony entrance beneath the robe hood with fury in his eyes was Robin. His gut wrenched every time Stahl's muffled voice voiced his pain. His own excitement and inexperience directing a large force had nearly cost him a life. Because he lacked skills in treating or mending wounds, Robin accepted the responsibility on what befell his comrade-in-arms. Refusing to dwell in self-pity, the tactician focused on analyzing of the enemy's movement to correct his mistake.

'Calvary units must flank to ambush Risen archers stationed at riverbank if our main units want to advance. Infantry continue their slow advancement on the road. Recommend off plain fighting and heavy units and fighters form a box with available range units at the center,' Robin furiously scribbled his countermeasures on a scroll before directing several scouts to deliver his strategic measures to Frederick and the convoy.

The black-hair male let a heavy sigh out before focusing to Virion's rushed descending footsteps from the staircase leading to one of the abandon fort's tallest bastions.

"It seems like our tactician is right." the archer panted, skipping the last couple flight of stone steps to unravel a parchment and setting it atop of the wooden table in the center of the room. "More of such unholy creatures wait to dash us past that narrow bridge."

Robin hurriedly examined the roughly drawn terrain, adding what he could to the map he drew of the entire map. Several red corks were placed on both sides of the map: three in the hilly mountains, five in the forest, and three on the road. The tactician grimace. Each cork represent a squadron comprised of either four to a dozen units.

'Tch, that's a hell of a lot.'

"We can't let them cross…" Chrom's fist slammed into the brick wall. The expedition had only started and there was already a casualty on their side. With a heavy gasp, the green cavalier's eyes gently fluttered open.

"Glad you're back." The young lord hurriedly kneeled beside a stable and pale-free Stahl.

"Uh…what did I miss?" the green caviler groggily chuckled.

The young princess held her breath, the staff creaking at her vice grip as she silently watched her brother and Virion carefully help Stahl to his feet. As the youngest royal member, Lissa felt an overwhelm pressure to achieve great things like older siblings who already proved themselves in their respective field. She knew her efforts hardly direct an impact in the fighting at the battle at Southtown. The brutal skirmish boiling across the plains today demonstrated her ineffectiveness.

A warm firm hand found itself on her shoulder caught her to jolt. Turning her attention to the source Robin nodded. "You did well."

"But if feels like I haven't done anything." Lissa huffed, turning from her friend's gaze.

The tactician blinked several times before sighing. "Lissa, I've watched you and the other healers in the convoy and you are skilled, if only lacking experience. In fact, you're the only will to participate in field operations. "

"But I can't fight. I don't know how to use a sword or own a horse. Heck, even Maribelle knows how to use a tome." The blonde cleric's boot tapped the stone ground. "Maybe I should'v-"

"Lissa!" Robin grasped Lissa's shoulders, his raised voice directing every pair of eyes towards them. "We can mend cuts and bruises but a lot of us don't have the knowledge to fix a wound of that caliber."

The sound of fighting oddly drew louder as the room remained quiet listening to the black-hair male's speech. "Don't say you don't have an impact because you do. You saved a life. That makes you the most important member besides our idiotic commander."

"Huh? Hey!" Chrom shot an agitated glare to Robin, the latter responding with a raised brow.

"…So you're saying I'm important?" Lissa rapidly blinked her eyes to stem the tears threatening to overflow.

"Of course. Everyone is betting their lives right now. We're going to need you if we're going to win this." Robin grinned. Every soldier and members of the Shepherds acknowledge their situation, nodding their head. "Besides, who can patch us idiots when we get hurt?"

Seeing the black-hair male surrounded in a hail of friendly slaps and laughter, Chrom and Lissa felt invigorated. Barely anyone knew Robin since his late introduction but his drive to win and inspiring words drove away the fear and doubts nestling in their hearts moments ago. To implant the seeds of madness in all of them, the black-hair tactician was truly a man of the battlefield.

Robin silently walked out of the fort's gate, stringing the final touches to his plan from the web of ideas gathered before speaking with Lissa. Even in the distance, numerous shadows visibly hobbled towards the bridge.

"Judging from that twinkle in your eyes, I say you have a plan." Chrom thrust his sword into the ground, his white cape fluttered at a passing breeze.

"I do." Robin smirked, tapping his sword hilt. "Get everyone ready!"

Meanwhile

"It seems I've caught up" a female stated to no one particular, wearing glasses while carrying a thick notebook. Spotting a lone Risen slowly crossing the road, she raised her left hand "Now to extirpate these brutes…"

'_Ardor!_' her voiced echoed as a ball of fire flew at the Risen.

With a loud screech, the Risen flailed wildly before collapsing to the ground and dissipating. Taking a quill in her pocket, the female began to write.

Log # 3048

Subject – Unknown

Participant: 1

Subject set ablaze from fire spell has a normal reaction to human

Red eyes and charred skin suggests usage of unknown dark resurrection magic

Time for subject's body to evaporate: unknown

…

As she continued her writing, her hawk-like eyes caught a bright gleaming at the edge of her vision. Immediately, the female's body shut her notebook and opened her red tome facing than the eyes could see. Curiosity getting the better of the scholarly mage, a lone axe with its blade jammed carelessly into a tree with marks of familiar design.

Irritated, the female began a long-drawn monologue. "I'd not thought such dereliction permissible among the Shepherds. I'd be remiss to not return this implement to its owner."

Wrenching the axe free with an effort moan, the mage secured the heavy object in her pouch. "Perhaps along with a stern word or two of disapprobation."

For several minutes, the female walked under the beating sun, carefully listening to the sound of inhuman screams and clanking metal grow louder. Eventually, she made her way to the convoy lines of the Shepherds where a shirtless blonde man was off the gravel road searching frantically for his lost weapon.

"My axe!" Vaike recognized the visibly annoyed mage gripping his beloved weapon.

"I wondered what manner of ignoramus would mislay their weapon" the glasses-wearing female called Miriel glared while adjusting her glasses.

"Thanks…er, for the axe, anyway." Vaike twirled the axe in his hand before flashing a grin at Miriel.

With a loud whoop, Teach ran to the frontlines with his weapon in hand ignoring the mage before she concluded her berate.

"Perhaps next time I'll use a spell to fasten it to your hands…permanently."

With a score of Risens routed in the plains, the remaining undead prepared a counter attack by crossing over the bridge. Having anticipated the movement, Robin set his own plan in motion. Using Frederick, and himself, the duo acted as a wall to tempt the Risens down the narrow wood runway. Because of their overwhelming numbers, the monstrosity found their bodies colliding into each other severely limiting their movement and number of attackers. Virion and Sully sat at each side of the bridge unloading arrows and javelins into the clumped enemy rank. Once the enemy forces reached the other end of the bridge, the exhausted 'walls' fell back using the remainder of the Shepherds to crush the weakened enemy force at the bridge's mouth.

Shepherds who found themselves injured were instantly relieved to the one of two secure abandoned forts where Lissa worked to mend and heal wounds. With the Risens all but slain, Robin's tactic eventually drew out the source of the undead attack. After a long drawn engagement, the tactician with the aid of Frederick slew the Risen 'Chief' and the threat of the Risen was no more.

Well, at least for the time being.

"And good riddance!" Chrom heaved, collapsing his tired body atop of a wooden crate.

Like the others, they had made camp on the other side of bridge and he was exhausted from the chaotic ordeal. With a long satisfying swig, the young prince gasped setting his water-skin aside. The young lord listened to the faint idle chattered outside his tent. "But if they're appearing this far up the Northroad…"

"Then no path is safe." Frederick grunted, troubled at the new dilemma. "We'll need to stay wary. I'll discuss with Robin to see if we could plan shifts for night patrols."

As the glowing sunset pierced through the crack of Robin canvas tent, the man in question was returning with refilled water-skin in hand after crafting a schedule for night patrols with the cautious great knight. Relieved at the day's ending, the aching tactician stood at the entrance of his new makeshift home. In a whole new day, the black-hair amnestic male had the time to analyze his Shepherd strengths, weakness, and their quirks which left some left him skeptical.

At the rate the Shepherds were joining, Robin grew worried he would not be able to remember them all. Looking at his new supply of books and journals, an idea came to Robin. Flipping through an empty journal, the dark haired man dipped his pen into a fresh ink bottle.

_**01. Robin…**_

With a satisfied grin, the young man began to draw up the Shepherd's first roster.

In the north-west flank several tents away from the commander's tent, Lissa stepped out of the medical tent. Groaning, she stretched her stiff limbs that echoed with numerous cracks. From an untrained healer's perspective, waving a staff didn't sound tiring. However, the amount of concentration an individual used while keeping the individual's body as fully intact as possible was grueling taxing. The possibility of exhausting the mind or falling into a coma was common from overusing staffs.

The blonde cleric found her memories shifting back to the afternoon, remembering vividly Robin's lacerate face while healing him after the bridge siege. The foolish male voluntarily stood alongside Frederick to fend off the Risen counter-attack despite Chrom's objection. Only with the timely arrival with a re-armed Vaike and Miriel was the prince able to pull Robin back alive and relieve him. Even then, the tactician continued to fight but from a distance.

'Robin…Why am I thinking about him?' Lissa chewed her lips. 'Maybe because he was hurt that's why…that's why.'

"Robin? Where aare yooou?" the blonde cleric's voice echoed in search of her friend around the newly established encampment.

Several minutes passed before the drifting scent of ink and soft snoring lead her outside a tent hammer at the camp's outer right edge. Opening the tent flap, Lissa saw Robin lying on his cot in deep sleep. Secured in one hand across his chest was a red book she assumed he had been reading before falling asleep. Looking around the tent, she began to snoop hoping to learn more about her mysterious friend. Reaching Robin's desk, there were already several stacks of text and parchments with one particularly book left open.

Skimming the page, Lissa's head spun at the terminology she came across. Finding nothing of interest, she took Robin's quill and began to doodle a picture of Robin to show it belong to him. When one particular loud clutter from outside threaten to wake Robin up, Lissa in her panic knocked over the inkwell spilling the dark liquid all over Robin's desk, a majority on the text she was doodling on.

Realizing she was in trouble, she set the quill aside and walked over to the sleeping Robin. Seeing how peaceful he looked compared to healing his face at their battle earlier today were worlds. As her face got closer to Robin's, a mischievous idea popped into her head. Softly giggling, Lissa's thumb and index finger gently pinch Robin's nose.

In Robin's dream, he was fending Risen off when he suddenly lost breath. Gasping, a number of Risen riding…wolves were bearing down on him. Back in reality, Lissa was surprised that Robin's reaction was unlike anything she'd seen.

Shaking his head as if having a bad dream, Robin began to speak but with a funny voice as Lissa was still holding his nose. Finally unable to breath, the black-hair man woke up in a panic.

"Wha-?! Risen! Wolves! Risen riding wolves!" he screamed.

Now fully awake, seconds past before Robin realized the red-orange light reflecting off his tent canvas indicate he'd return back to reality.

"They're…all…Wait a moment." He pinched the bridge of his nose, gathering his train of thought until the stifle laughter on the ground annoyed him.

"Oh gods, that was HILARIOUS!" Lissa howled, kicking her legs while rolling on the floor with tears flowing out of her eyes.

Robin took a deep sigh before glaring at Lissa. "Gods bless it, I was fast asleep!"

"And dreaming of Risen and wolves apparently." Lissa wiped a tear. "I tried to resist-but it was just too perfect." In her rowdy giggling, she engraved Robin's reaction forever to her memories.

Unamused, he crossed his arms. "Who does such a things? Is that really how your parents raised you?!"

Just as happiness pounded in her heart, sadness shrouded Lissa's face. Looking down, she mumbled. "…I...I never really knew my parents…"

'You idiot!' Robin winced, mentally smacking himself.

During his brief stay in Ylisstol, he came across a regal photo of a couple with the two greatly resembling Emmeryn and Chrom. Unfortunately, he also learned the tragic fate of the couple that sired the current Exalt and her siblings. Their father was the king that nearly destroyed Ylisse when he went on a crusade to destroy Plegia. His reign of terror ended when he was killed. Their mother, the queen ,was the only parent Lissa never met personally for she had died giving birth to her.

"Right. That was…" Robin stumbled with his word, trying to find the words to mend the awkward situation.

"Don't worry about it." Lissa offered a false smile. "BUT, there's actually something else I should be apologizing for…"

Robin sigh in content, following the blonde cleric's nervous glanced behind her. "Whatever it is, I'm sure I can forget it if you can forgive my heartless comment"

'I don't know if he's going to regret saying that after he learns what I did.' Lissa's inner-self muttered. Walking to his desk, she picked up book she doodled on and hand it to Robin.

"That's great cuz you see…I was kinda doodling a pic of you in your big new book of strategies" Lissa's voice trailed off while handing the closed book.

"O…k?" Robin looked confused, wondering to himself why the binding felt sticky.

"…Aaand then I kinda spilled the ink and kinda ruined the book…ok, completely. But IreallyIreallyIreallydidn'tmeanto!" Lissa clapped her hands together, clearly apologizing.

Listening carefully to her words, Robin's eyes bulged after interpreting her explanation.

"WHAT?!" he yelled.

Flipping over the cover, Lissa's doodle of him in the corner remained intact but the majority of the text was unreadable. Sighing in defeat, he weakly uttered. "It's…it's fine. Accidents…happen."

Exhaling a sigh of relief, Lissa offered another apology before leaving Robin's tent. The black-hair tactician looked at his ruined text book before groaning at the mess on his desk and hand.

'Today is not my day is it?' Robin thought scratching the back of his head with his ink-free hand.

Several days would pass since the Shepherd's first full encounter with the Risen and the only causalities they suffered so far were his books. During the long trips along the road, Robin spent most of his free time copying what he could from the inked-text onto a new book and learning all he could about Regna Ferox. To his dismay, the only kind of politics the citizens of the land would listen is a demonstration of strength. Shivering, Robin wrapped his robed even tighter around him. Another thing he lamented; the cold sucks.

Eventually, Chrom and the travelling Shepherds convey halted. Stretched for miles on end were massive wall built with giant stone cinderblocks and imposing wooden bolt gate doors to match.

"Is this the fortress?" Robin asked, rubbing his hand together as light snow twinkle from the gray skies above.

Chrom nodded. "This is the Longfort. It stretches along the border of Ylisse and Regna Ferox."

"Negotiation's not my strong suit, but I'll do my best. Frederick, you're with me." Chrom issued standby orders and appointed Robin to handle preparation in the case of a scuffle.

No sooner had Chrom and Frederick approached the gate in an attempt to parley with the gate captain did the air stiffen.

"Trouble in the wind, milord." Frederick's eyes narrowed at the sound of hammering metal ringed across the border.

"Look Feroxi Guard!" the great knight pointed to the dozen figures outfitted with heavy plate knight armor readying their javelins.

"What?! Why?" Chrom's eye flickered in shock at the simple action of approaching the border would prompt a hostile response.

"Who can say? But they look ready to let fly at a moment's notice?" Frederick steadied his lance, staring hard at each the knights organizing themselves stationed above the wall. Turning to his lord, he continued. "I suggest we seek Robin's insight as loathe as I am to trust him."

"Still the wary knight aren't you?" Chrom mumbled. "Well, he IS our tactician after all."

Upon retreating to the camp and explaining the dire news, Robin shared his insight. Because of Feroxi war-like tradition, the Shepherds would have to prove their worth. The worst case scenario was a full-on blood bath. To avoid straining the relationship of Regna Ferox and Ylisse, they would have to fight to avoid killing.

"Ugh. It's easier said than done I suppose." Robin groaned, watching helplessly with the other members as Chrom approached the gate alone. The tension never felt more oppressing than now.

"Halt!" a strong female voice echo atop of the gate that rivaled Sully's in training. A woman with short blonde hair dressed in armor similar to the knights remained still but trained her weapon at the prince.

Clearing his throat, Chrom spoke in an equally powerful voice above the snowy wind. Feroxi's infamous snowstorm was quickly approaching. "In the name of House Ylisse, I seek audience with the khans!"

"Not another step my bold lad." the woman shouted, jabbing her lance to the side.

'These Feroxi don't play around do they?' Robin grasped his tome, his hooded robe flailed wildly. 'Please, don't fight. Not now.'

"Hold milady!" Frederick shouted, guiding his horse to Chrom's side prompting the border to jingle with armored gauntlets. "We are not your enemy! Exalt Emmeryn herself sent us to discuss matters of mutual interest."

"My only interest is keep you out of Regna Ferox, brigand!" the blond woman's voice clearly echoed a lack of patience.

"B-brigand?" Frederick choked with disbelief. "Now see here. You are in the presence of Prince Chrom, the exalt's own blood."

"Indeed-and I'm queen of Valm!" she retorted sarcastically. "You claim to be the prince of Ylisse, then prove it on the battlefield!"

"This is just as Robin predicted." Chrom groaned. "Please if you'd just listen-"

"I've heard quite enough." the woman shouted. Seeing the captain turned to her stationed knights, Robin ordered the Shepherds to brace themselves.

"Attack!"


	7. Chapter 5: Dance of Ice and Blades

_**With the new threat now known as Risen appearing as far as north, nowhere is safe. Though recently assigned as the Shepherd's tactician, Robin has already gained the group's trust by securing their first victory in their diplomatic mission. However, as they approach the gate guarding the borders of Ferox and Ylisse, the Shepherds are refused entry by a wary guard captain. Determined to test if Chrom was the real prince of Ylisse, the group must now fight as the snow storm rages on.**_

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 5: Dance of Ice and Blades<strong>

Regna Ferox, a land ruled by strength and tears of winter. On an average day, ferocious snow storms pelt stray villages scattered throughout the northern barren land and the border between its neighboring country, Ylisse. What seemed like a normal occurrence in Ferox impeded spectators from watching the massive battle boiling over Longfort.

"Incoming!" Robin's voice scattered before the icy wind. He alongside Vaike scampered desperately to the nearest tree for cover as the snow blurred the projectiles flying above their heads.

The sound of wood crashing and branches snapping under the barrage of javelins barely registered into anyone's eyes as the snowy wind deafening screamed.

"Ha, I owe you," Vaike flashed a mad grin, beating his bare chest with a thumbs up.

How the man could endure the cold, Robin could care less. All he could do to suppress a shiver was tuck his bare arms closely together to hoard what little warmth his body could provide. Glancing over a nearby tree, Robin couldn't help but cackle. Wrapped tightly in his oversize robe was Lissa who miraculously remained unscathed in the fight. The young princess whom the young tactician remembered in their first meeting was someone who shook and paled at the sight of violence. Instead, her eyes and grip were replaced that mirrored his with intense concentration.

When the battle began, Sumia's unexpected timely arrival saved Chrom by a hair's breathe from becoming a royal javelin cushion. The winged mount the brunette knight commanded through the skies was the same mare the Shepherds found after the battle of Northroad. It seemed leaving Sumia's natural gift with animals hastened the nursing time back to full strength.

After watching Chrom and Sumia soar together in the air, another important memory forcibly resurface that nearly cost him his arm and head. Upon landing to safety, Robin approached Chrom with the idea of having the Shepherds work in pairs.

'_**Individuals are flawed. Let your allies add to your strength and hide your weakness. In turn, act likewise.'**_

Implementing his tactician's advice, Chrom remounted Sumia's Pegasus while the Shepherds lead by Robin and Frederick organized themselves to counterattack. The tricky part, however, was to follow Robin's most important order: they had to immobilize, not kill their enemy in their current battle.

"Easier said than done," Chrom's teeth chattered, his sword grasped tightly in his hand while sidestepping a lance thrust where his head used to occupy.

With a stroke from his sword, a new gash etched onto the knight's shield much to the Feroxi's Guard annoyance. The young lord was abusing his speed by continuously attacking the areas the Feroxi could not see with his armored visor before weaving away to renew his assault. Unbeknownst to the knight, a large shadow high in the air was nose-diving towards him at breakneck speed. With the knight's back finally turned, Sumia used her pegasus's momentum to crash into him. With a pained groan, the knight skidded across the brick floor where he remained still.

As the two Shepherds searched for the key, Frederick, Virion, and Sully were trying their best to advance towards the east staircase. Hindering their patch were a small detachment comprised of light-armored infantry. With the item secured in his glove hand, Chrom raced back to Sumia's Pegasus before kicking off the wall's edge soaring towards their comrades below.

"Where is Kellam?" the young lord scanned the forest ground below for any hidden casters or archers. He remembered momentarily speaking with the barely visible knight before his two-man assault on the large middle gate.

"I don't know," Sumia muttered, grasping her mount's rein as the sound of screams drifted to their ears. "He usually shows up when we least expect it."

"Hmm, I guess you're right," the young lord nodded, returning his attention to the battle at hand.

Meanwhile at the West Gate

Another hit. Another scream. Robin smiled at the warm tingly sensation ripple up his sword arm. The flat part of the pommel beating a Feroxi archer to the ground, the flashing steel, the struggle of life and death was simply exhilarating. Nothing chased the boredom of marching so easily. However, the tactician knew he still had a job to complete. With the last of the defenders finally subdued, Robin searched the unconscious archer's satchel for a key of sort. Feeling the cool metal pressed into his palm, the tactician grinned to his group comprised of Vaike, Lissa and Miriel.

"Let's go!" Robin raced up the large stone staircase followed by several footsteps.

For the current battle, the black-hair tactician's strategy involved a two pronged strike where both gates fall simultaneously. By doing so, Robin intend to crush the morale of the remaining defenders. With the key set in the gate hole, Robin thrust his hand upward and shot a red spark through the air. Immediately, both gates swung open and the Shepherds stormed the upper portion of the gate.

"Move! Stay to the walls!" the tactician roared as a javelin slammed viciously into the stony gate, allowing members scattered in the wake of projectiles hurled in their direction.

Robin continued running with spell after spell leaving his fingertips. His new objective is diverting the knights' attention from his comrades and adjusting his implemented strategy based on his surroundings. Pausing to rest, the tactician's ears instinctively twitched in the direction of scuffling footsteps from a nearby staircase. 'Crap. Reinforcement.'

"Look out!" Lissa screamed.

Seeing his surrounding suddenly blackened, Robin turned to see a Feroxi knight already bearing his war hammer down onto his face.

'Damn it!' Robin raised his arms but the horror that awaited him instilled his reflex to slow time down for him. 'Weapon swung halfway to destination. Strong against armor but it's going to hurt regardless.'

Cursing himself for his lack of awareness, the tactician barely watched from corner of his eyes a hurtling empty armor crashing headfirst with a large shield into the enemy knight. As everyone stood in shock, the armor turned to the fallen Robin.

"Are you alright?" a soft voice asked the black-hair man.

"Huh?" Robin shook his head. 'There's no way armors can talk. And that voice. Didn't I hear it before I left Ylisstol?'

Inspecting the armor up close, Robin noticed the face of a tall but thin man who looked as his armor was swallowing his entire figure. Even odder were the closed eyes of his savior.

"Hi, my name is Kellam. We've met but no seemed to notice me" the talking armor…err man called Kellam quietly mumbled.

"Thanks for saving me," Robin got to his feet with a respectful. "I-GAH!"

"Robin! Thank the gods!" Lissa pulled her tiny frame from her tackling hug. "Don't do that again!"

Teary specks formed at the corner of the blonde cleric's eyes instigating the black-hair man to mentally berate himself. Unknown to him, Lissa could barely control herself after seeing someone she knew nearly die in front of her. Hearing the concern of his life, Robin steadied Lissa's trembling shoulders.

"I'm alright Lissa," Robin smiled. "I'll watch myself better."

When she still looked unconvinced, he looked into her eyes with a steady gaze. "I promise."

Silently accepting his answer, Lissa wiped her eyes gripped her staff. "I expect you to hold it. Pinky promise?"

Seeing the hand offered to him despite the battle raging around him, Robin chuckled. Bringing his marked right hand, Robin's pinky entwined with the blonde princess. "I promise."

"Oi! Get over here!" Vaike yelled over his shoulder as several knights emerged from the staircase.

After the small fiasco, Robin's group worked to repel the wall defenders while forcing the additional reinforcement back into the staircase. In the midst of the struggle, Kellam manage to explain the usefulness of hammers in battle. Seeing an opportunity to end the struggle, Robin secured the unconscious knight's weapon and directed everyone to meet up with Chrom's side. In the center of the massive brawl, the tactician spotted the blue-hair lord struggling to break past the gate captain's shield.

The armored knight. Huge, bulky, and deadly. Sacrificing mobility for extra-protection, even a volley of arrows wouldn't leave a dent on the specialized equipment these individuals adorn. Armed to decimate light units, the armored knight was truly intimidating. However, they had several weakness.

Tossing the hammer to Vaike running past, Robin hurriedly paired himself with Miriel. Both Shepherds concentrated their minds allowing the familiar glowing rings to rapidly circle around their figure. A fire bolt followed by a thunder bolt, agitated the female knight to turn her guard towards them. However, the blonde fighter swung with all his strength punching a hole in the middle of shield. Hissing in pain, Chrom drove his sword through the exposed dent while Frederick hacked the lance head of his lord's opponent. With a roar, Chrom toss the shield overhead before driving his foot into the knight's chest.

With a grunt, the captain of Longfort barely rose to stare back the face of axe-heads, lances, and blades. Seeing her men subdued and nothing left to defend herself, the female knight raised her hands in surrender. "Parley?"

As soon as Chrom and his Shepherds stepped into the khan's throne room, they were immediately grateful for the castle stonewalls that shielded them from the battering snowstorm. Some like Frederick and Stahl remained fine after an hour of fighting outside in freezing temperature. For those like Vaike and Virion, they didn't fare so well. The gate captain whom the Shepherds defeated introduced herself as Raimi. Upon Raimi exiting the throne room to alert her khan, Robin began to openly imagine what he believed would be the khan's appearance: a stereotypical buff macho looking hairy man. Much to the tactician's embarrassment, the Shepherds were introduced to a young woman instead. Lightly dark skin and blonde hair tied into a pony tail, the female khan status as a powerful warrior was the equipment she wore. A unique red tinted plated with a shield arm that covered her entire right side, the tactician knew only individuals who earned their right through enduring struggles were allowed to bear the title of a hero.

Introducing herself as Flavia, the female khan explained to Chrom that her lack or authority in giving aid because of one specific reason. Rather than a lineage system, Regna Ferox's khans implemented a tradition that allowed only one of two khans to act as the true ruler while governing their half. After a few years, the title would be wagered again in a tournament once every five years where each side recruited outsiders to represent their side as their champion. Much to Chrom's relief, the tournament was happening the very year and the date was quickly approaching. Accepting Flavia's offer to represent and win her the rights of ruling in exchange for Ferox's war aid, the Shepherds stayed one night at the khan palace before establishing their base of operation along the road leading to the stadium known as Arena Ferox.

"Gods. What was Frederick thinking?" Chrom grunted, his foot treaded the icy snowy forest ground.

The Shepherd's morale had slightly dropped from the sudden battle at Longfort and Robin's selected choice of participant in the quadrennial tournament. After a rather interesting talk with his great knight, Chrom was left to deal with the horrendous aftereffects. With an angry hiss, the young lord ripped off a poster stuck to Robin's tent flap.

Apparently, Frederick's idea of raising morale was to stick posters of his nude prince striking a bold pose. Emblazed at the bottom of each in bright red were three simple words: 'CHROM WANTS YOU'. To add insult to injury, the abomination of a poster could be seen in the dark and were strategically posted where most people would pass through in the encampment. But fortunately for the young lord, he could hide Frederick's mortifying efforts while everyone busied themselves in the mess hall. Fate, however, planned misfortune for Chrom as the wind blew the poster he had taken down out of his grasps.

As the parchment fluttered in the air, the blue hair man could see a large silhouette approaching from the direction of the mess hall. To Chrom's horror, a male voice echoed the cold peaceful night. "Huh?"

Casually drinking cider from his water-skin was none other than the mind of the Shepherd.

"R-ROBIN?!" Chrom stuttered, hiding the collected posters behind his cape.

"Huh? Chrom?" the black hair tactician looked to his friend before feeling an object landing on his feet.

"WAIT!" Chrom scrambled to save his fleeting dignity, dropping the rest of the recovered poster all over the forest ground.

His actions, however, were for naught as Robin's fingers had already encircled the poster of doom. Sealing his waterskin, the tactician glanced at the paper content. Robin's pupils grew as his vision focused the obscene details and outrageous content imprinted on the paper.

"PWFTH!" Robin spewed cider messily. Nothing until now would scar him for rest of his days.

As the black hair man's coughing subsided, an awkward silence hung between the two friends. Chrom silently cursed his overprotective great knight while the dropped poster scattered into the void of the frosty forest.

"…I can explain…" Chrom quietly mumbled.

Before the crack of dawn, loud cheers echoed from the massive dome that hovered over the eventful stage of Arena Ferox. The electrifying atmosphere was the result of hundreds of spectators gathered to observe world-class fighters duel for their respective khan. As the announcer walked out onto the circular arena stage, the audience cheers magnified the intensity of the friendly duel. With a finally huff, Chrom looked to his team consisting of Frederick, Sully, an armor-suit (Kellam), Lissa, and Robin.

These were the people his tactician had chosen to fight. For Ylisse. For Emmeryn. A normal person would have doubt the efficiency of this group but the blue haired lord was no ordinary man. Flashing a bright grin, the representatives for the East-Khans nodded to their leader before walking together out into the light.

Minutes later, a new wave of cheers blasted into the young lord and his Shepherd's ears as the West Khan champions stepped into the light.

"Chrom! Look!" Lissa motioned her brother towards the end of the arena.

Standing in the middle of the West Khan representatives under the cover of the shadow was a young man with blue hair and armor wearing a butterfly mask. There was no doubt in the minds of the four Shepherd's present that the figure was 'Marth.'

'No way?!' Robin's grimly scanned the arena.

The plans the tactician had spent nights crafting prior to the match had accounted for skilled opponents but not of someone who can stand evenly with the Shepherd's best fighter. Taking a deep breath, the tactician's eyes flashed with devious purpose. If he couldn't use his old strategy, he would have to improvise and adapt a new strategy.

'This is going to be a tough one,' Robin grasped his tome and readied his sword, their weight feeling heavier as the fate of Ylisse now truly hanged in the balance.


	8. Chapter 6: Playing with Fire

_**Having defeated the gate captain, Raimi, the Shepherds are introduced to one of Feroxi's khan, Flavia. Unfortunately for Chrom and co., they are shocked to learn that a request for aid could not be done. However, hope is not lost. With knowledge about a dennical event coming around the corner and the prize granting a khan the right to rule, Chrom decides to participate to ensure Flavia's victory. On tournament day, Chrom and his Shepherds unexpectedly meet the mysterious Marth again, but only this time, the blade is pointing at them.**_

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 6: Playing with Fire<strong>

Waves of frenzied cheers and thunderous beating feet rattled in Robin's ears while two distinct individuals endorsing their respective Khans stepped in front of their comrades in arm. As the two approached the middle of the arena, the only source of lighting was the massive opening in the center of the ceiling, the transparent pillar glaring down on the circular green ring. The cheering audience slowly fell silent until Chrom's marching boots was the only sound that echo in the room. Without a spare word, he unbuckled his holster and twirled his sword. The holy edges vibrated and gleamed dangerously at his master's challenger, Marth.

In the days leading up to the important duel, Robin had learned about the sword's origin from his friend. To his disbelief, the weapon Chrom wielded was called the Falchion, one of Ylisse's two greatest treasures. According to legend, weapon's existence began when a divine dragon offered one of its fangs to the first exalt who then had it forged and used against the Fell Dragon.

At first glance, Robin remained skeptical that such an extraordinary supernatural force could have ever existed. But the mere fact that the Falchion he saw everyday had already endured strikes from Chrom while retaining its flawless slicing edge challenged his doubts.

With a cold shudder, Robin watched Marth draw 'his' sword in respect to Chrom's silent challenge.

"No way." Chrom muttered barely loud enough for the black-hair male to hear.

From a distance, the metallic edge of Marth's sword protruded the same length as Falchion with a design perfectly mirroring the one the held in the young lord's grasp. Robin rubbed his eyes in confusion at the distinct scratches on the pommel. Several major scrapes here and there but they were all in the exact area.

'What the hell is going on?' Robin frowned.

"Where did you get that?" Chrom asked, his steely eyes hardened, his leather gloves creaked at the twisting force of his grip.

Sulking at the edge of the arena's shade, Marth remained silent. Suddenly, a white cape whipped through the air as its master raced across the open lit space.

With an angry roar, Chrom leaped high into the air before crashing his blade onto Marth. Robin internally cringed as he saw Marth's knees nearly buckle. Pushing the ground with all of 'his' strength, Marth shoved the young lord away through grit teeth to regain 'his' lost foothold. Even from his position, the black-hair man could see Marth's arms slightly trembling. Through routinely sparring with the young prince, Robin knew that his friend's reckless nature could be found behind the warded blow. Blocking any strike from Chrom was similar to handling an angry bull; fast, brutal, and strong.

Immediately, the inanimate audience sprang to life, their eyes bearing witness to history in the making as the deadly waltz brewed in the center of the arena. Gradually, the remaining fighters snapped themselves from their awe state and began organizing themselves to fight. Even though the duel for the seat of Khan was friendly, the weapons that each side used were authentic weapons of war. While rare as these events happened, the participants could bleed out and die if their wounds were left untreated.

Seeing the champions led by Marth swarm the open space, the tempting of counter charging through the enemy's gap was far from Robin's mind. Prior in the morning, the young tactician had instructed his 'volunteers' to follow his plan drilled into them for the past six days. Even if the terrain ideally served advantageous to cavalry units against enemy light infantry, the presence of armored knights and mages supporting their frontline greatly hinder their movement.

To counter Marth's numeric and strategic position, Frederick and Sully were stationed in the center behind Chrom. Their primary objective was to repel any intruders from interfering Chrom's duel. Their secondary objective, when given the opportunity, was to pick off unguarded high-value units like archers and mages. Meanwhile, the tactician and Kellam would slip to the outer left ring away from the fighting in the center. By using their odd movement, Marth's champions were force to either deal with them or risk having their range supports wiped out.

Time was of the essence on the trio's part. The key to everyone's success fell onto Lissa's shoulder as healers allowed others to fight longer periods of time. Without one, the duel was anyone's game.

An axe man shouted in surprise as a suit of armor flew at him unnoticed. Before he could recover from his shock, Kellam's shield rang with a sickening thud into the enemy champion's face with a nasty crunch.

"Move!" Robin huffed, ignoring the fallen enemy champion. Without a word, Lissa circled with the tactician behind Kellam. "Steady your advance! Incoming!"

Robin and his partner hugged their fellow knight's back as a breathtaking vortex nearly blasted past them followed by a cloud of dust. Leaning slightly out with his left hand outstretch, Robin grinned while retaliating with his own wind spell.

'_Ventus,'_ his voice echoed.

A condense ball of wind bullet through the arena before colliding with the attacking mage's chest. Hearing the familiar grunt of pain, Robin emerged from cover allowing Lissa room to use her staff to rejuvenate Kellam. Out of the corner of the tactician's eye, Frederick and Sully seized the opportunity to incapacitate a mage across the arena who had foolishly ran to intercept Chrom's duel. Defenseless and exposed to the open, the horse riding Shepherds used the blunt end of their lance to knock the man cold onto his back.

From the corner of Robin's eyes, the two blue-hair warriors continued to exchange sword blows weaving around back and forth denying the other a good footstep. The air screeched and flashed with the ferocity of silver and gold than the tactician could accurately see, the crowd's resonating cheers adding further excitement to the duel.

Back to their personal battle, Kellam grimace in surprise when another knight slammed his shield headfirst in a charge. Judging from the desperate action, Robin's strategy had effectively nullified Marth's numeric advantage.

'Only five-wait, four champions?!' the tactician's eyes glance at the figures presented in the area.

"Robin!" Lissa cried out.

Sensing a killing intent approaching him, Robin turned his attention to his opponent, an axe man. Short, buff, and rowdy.

'Reminds me of someone. Oh right, Vaike.' the tactician smirked.

With a loud shut, Robin dropped his wind tome into his waist satchel and his hands lightly gripped the handle of his sword. Seeing his opponent enter his range, the tactician unsheathed his sword.

When the Shepherds trained for the tournament date to approach, Robin convinced Frederick to train him in building his physique for swordsmanship. After many sparring matches, Robin learned to his surprise of an unconscious habit of sheathing his blade occasionally for a lethal attack. Even more surprisingly was the speed the attack came and sheathing. Because of this unorthodox technique, Robin won a surprising amount of duels around the camp.

The axe man immediately somersaulted backwards in clear surprise. With an audible click, Robin's opponent scowled at the missing patch of hair at the crown of his head before hesitantly advancing in face of unknown blade style. A tear of sweat dripped from the tactician's brow, watching and anticipating his opponent's next approach.

Without turning his head, the tactician beckon his cleric. "Lissa, are you with me?"

"Yeah." the blonde cleric gripped her staff tightly.

Despite being told she was the key to their duel, the other Shepherds were doing well on their own. The only action the petite princess had performed over the last five minutes was healing Kellam and watch over the back of others. Lissa tensed and hated her position at the heavy atmosphere surrounding her partner, Robin. She could whack her enemies away but the response was similar to swatting a fly, more annoying than harm.

'Ugh, why did I choose something so useless.' Lissa gripped her staff even tighter, occasionally looking around to call out approaching foes.

"We're taking him down. I need you to distract him." Robin mumbled, catching his companion off guard.

"Huh?!" Lissa stared in confusion only to find an empty bottle of concoction handed to her.

"When he comes, keep yourself a distance back. Once his back is facing you, yell and throw the bottle at him." Robin flashed a quick smirk.

'Does he…' Lissa quickly took the bottle and nodded.

Seeing the opportunity, the axe man leapt with his axe raised above his head. The tactician's slim body leaned back and twisted to the side perpendicular to his opponent. Kicking his boots to take his opponent's previous position, Robin chuckled.

"Checkmate!"

The axe-man immediately turned his angry beet-red face and foolishly faced what he assumed was a one on one duel. Sensing the opportunity, Lissa felt her time to shine.

"Hey ugly!" Lissa shouted. Her insult caused the enemy champion to realize his mistake. "Catch!"

The empty bottle flew in the air but the axe-man ducked beneath the projectile. However, he did not see Robin's knee fly into his face. The man howled at his bloodied nose, but Robin hurriedly brought the pommel of his sheath sword to the back of his opponent's head.

"Nice job!" Robin nodded to his partner.

"Thanks!" the blonde cleric leaped with joy. Even if the effort was small, her distraction caught the axe-man off-guard allowing Robin to end the strife. "We-"

"LISSA!" the petite sized princess felt her body roll headfirst into Robin's embrace. The pair immediately found themselves a couple feet away on the ground and enveloped by Kellam's guarding shadow.

"Are you all right?" the knight huffed, brandishing his shield and angled his lance horizontally.

"Just a scratch." Robin hissed at the long cut on his right forearm, the javelin thrown at Lissa skated next to the unconscious axe-man. Seeing the distress on the blonde cleric's face, the black-hair male winked. "Got you."

"You dork." Lissa muttered, half angry and amused. Raising and projecting her will into her wooden staff the tactician groaned at the sensation of flesh forcibly mend together. With a sigh, the blonde cleric smiled at one healthy patient.

The moment did not last long, however, as Robin's warm hand rest in a place that made her heart skip.

'H-h-h-his hand. My back,' Lissa's cheeks turned a bright shade of red. A part of her dress where she tied her dressed exposed her bare shoulder back. Unfortunately, she was extremely ticklish and sensitive.

"Err, Robin. Can you let go of me? Your-your…." the blonde cleric shifted her embarrass gaze elsewhere.

"What-Sorry!" Robin immediately withdrew his hand to the side much to the spectators' annoyance that were previously making whooping sound at the tender scene.

The two awkward rose in silence before the familiar figures of two Shepherds on horseback galloped towards them. Seeing each other safe and mostly unharmed, Lissa couldn't help but smile.

'When did I get so bold?' Robin shook his head. His tinted cheeks burned but the black-hair male couldn't help but feel…happy.

'Alright. Focus on the battle. Then be happy.'

With most of Marth's force unable to fight, Robin entrusted Lissa with the others running to Chrom's side to end the exhausting stalemate.

'_Tonitura,' _Robinflung his spell through the air.

Hearing the crackle of a magical thunder bolt, Marth whipped 'his' body away from the speeding ball of spell. Using the momentary distraction, Chrom thrust from his leg upwards knocking his opponent's sword high into the air followed by a heavy boot kick straight into Marth's chest. With a yelp, Marth flew a couple of meters landing on 'his' back with an audible slidding thud. The arena became deathly still except for Chrom who made his way and pointed the tip of his Falchion at Marth's throat.

Feeling the smooth cool edge of 'his' opponent's blade hovering dangerously to 'his' skin, Marth smiled. "I give."

After a day of celebration, the Shepherds marched back to Ylisstol with good news. The first was the aid Ylisse secured from Regna Ferox if Plegia were to attack. The second was the newest addition to the Shepherds they had acquired. After the tournament ended, Chrom was approached by the khan they usurped called Basilio, a tall imposing dark skinned bald man with an eye patch over his right eye. To represent his aid to Ylisse, the ex-khan chose his previous champion before losing his status to Marth called Lon'qu. A quiet man with a sharp gaze, his skill with the sword clearly surpassed most of the Shepherds. It was fitting that Chrom had the skilled swordsman be Lissa's personal bodyguard.

'If only his fear of woman didn't set him back,' Robin chuckled.

He was agitated at first of the friendliness Lissa expressed at their first meeting but quickly became amused at his-er, gynophobia. Taking out a key from his dark robe, the black haired man opened a book with big red letter written with the words, 'IMPORTANT' and began to update the roster.

Praised for his ingenuous strategy, Flavia and Basilio openly announced their desire to acquire the tactician's talent which he respectfully declined. Even if they offered him valuables and promises of high position, nothing could be compared to what Chrom gave him: a second chance at life. Looking at the casting sun outside his tent, Robin quickly gathered the materials he need for the strategy meeting he requested upon stopping to rest from their march.

Unbeknownst to him, Chrom watched from afar Robin searched his tent like a mad man. Secretly, he was glad Robin had refused the khans' offer. Not even a month has passed and Chrom felt he had known Robin forever. He chuckled at himself as a knock came from his tent flap.

"Come in." Chrom politely beckon, turning his eyes to the person requesting his attention.

"Chrom?" Sumia fidgety stepped into the tent with a pie in hand.

The throne room glowed with warmth which only seemed to grow as the Exalt's face brightened upon hearing word of her brother's successful expedition.

"Thank you, Chrom. I knew sending you was the right choice." Emmeryn smiled. Glancing over to the man who worked tireless to ensure success, the Exalt gave a respective bow shocking Frederick and the tactician. "Thank you, Robin. You have helped them well."

"The honor is mines." Robin bowed, clearly embarrassed at the Exalt's kind word.

Not a moment later, the throne room doors burst open with Phila quickly approaching with a visible look of urgency. Bowing to Emmeryn, the pegasus captain began. "Forgive me, Your Grace but I bring alarming news!"

"Phila! Slow down" Emmeryn motioned the kneeling Pegasus knight to stand. Looking to Frederick and Robin, the duo hurriedly shut the door to secure the room. "What's happened?"

"Plegian soldiers have been sighted inside our southwest border!" Phila's words wash away the happy atmosphere. "They attack a village in Themis and abducted the duke's daughter."

"But that would be Maribelle!" Lissa gasped. "We have to do something!"

"There's more." Phila's hesitantly looked from Lissa to the Exalt. "Gangrel, the Mad King of Plegia claims Lady Maribelle invaded HIS country. He demands we pay reparations for this 'insult.'

"Tch!" Robin didn't even bother to hide his disgust, remembering the atrocities the Plegian bandits committed on their attack at Southtown.

He watched silently as Emmeryn spoke the fateful words that would change the lives of Ylisse forever.

Despite everyone's pleas to for their Exalt to stay, Emmeryn settled to parlay with Gangrel. Before the match, Robin briefly met another Shepherd called Ricken who was a young mage in similar height to Lissa. Ironically, Chrom treated the youngster as a child which Robin didn't have to assumed no thanks to his baby face. The short height didn't help either. After hurriedly restocking the Shepherd's convoy and re-equipping their members, they were fortunate enough to arrive at the foot of a rocky hill where they intercept the Mad King trying to cross the border.

As discussion began, it became clear that Gangrel had no intention of wanting peace. He demanded Ylisse's greatest treasure, the Fire Emblem, an artifact he personally believe would grant what he desired. Maribelle had indeed been captured when Gangrel's assistant called Aversa presented the captured woman had tried to escort the noble away. Only with the timely intervention of Ricken and his spell were the two able to escape. With war openly declared, Gangrel expressed his sick intention to spill blood before retreating back to the borders.

"Shepherds! To arms!" Chrom roared, his sword raised high into the air which the Shepherds respond in kind.

Taking a deep breath, Robin looked to the Plegians mobilizing for battle.

'Not even a month have pass and I'm already involved in a war,' Robin smile, barely controlling his body from shaking in excitement. But one thing was for sure: Robin would fight for those that accepted him and his new home.

"HIIYAH!" Robin's ferocious cry added to the vocal pockets of struggle around him.

Another Plegian pitifully dropped to his feet before lying slain at the panting male's stained feet. A moment too soon, the angry roars of Plegian soldiers seeing the pile of their comrades next to a smiling Robin only added a notch to his blade. Those who foolishly attempted to interrupt Miriel's spell bombardment where mercilessly cut down. The tactician threw his robed shoulder to his shade his eyes with fire and wind bolts raining dust from their aerial drop across the battlefield.

"Mages! Watch your aim!" the tactician roared, scattering alongside friend and foe away from the sweeping rockslide crushing everything below the slope.

Amongst the chaos, Robin managed to identify Chrom's fluttering cape along with Sumia battling three Plegians axe-men with little difficulty. From his sixth-sense oversight, every Shepherd were overwhelming their opponents. Clearly, they had gotten stronger since his meeting but an uphill battle was horrendous to the attackers.

"Adieu!" Virion let his arrows find home into an unsuspecting Plegian mage's chest who previous caused the first series of rockslides with his fire bolts. Sully who already had set her eyes on the mage twisted glance back with a sour look which the nobleman answered with a wink. Before the red-head cavalier could respond, Virion hurriedly rushed to find cover.

The start of the battle began on excellent footing when Chrom managed to save Ricken and Maribelle and returned them to the safety of the Shepherds. Since then, they made short work of any resistance they encountered during their uphill battle but the number of enemy soldiers throwing their lives away greatly hindered their movement. The situation increasingly grew worse when Frederick was sent to Lissa's attention in the backlines after a stray spell knocked him off his horse. While the blonde cleric worked, Lon'qu stayed by her side with the rearguard.

Paranoid as it sounded, Robin was annoyed of Lon'qu rebuttal at the princess's attempt to understand her guard. The tactician couldn't help but feel the aversion may be a farce to-

"Duck!" Stahl yelled, his arm releasing a spiraling javelin towards the tactician. Without second thought, Robin watched in slow-motion as the axe of a Plegian wyvern rider swiping at the tactician flew out of his grasp.

The fighting had progress to the middle of the mountains where the flat ground served as an ideal point of Ylisse forces to rally. The Plegian grunted commands for his wyvern which the latter emit a loud shriek before soaring. Reaching an altitude of ten meters, the rider's assurance of safety was quickly dashed. The Plegian's limbs flailed uselessly at gravity's mercy. The cause of the gruesome slaying was the result of Robin's wind spell. When Ricken casted a more potent version of the Wind spell, one of Robin's memories returned to him. Remembering weapons specifically designed to counter riders, flying or not, the tactician ordered all mages and archer to focus the Plegian aerial units with wind bolts and arrows resulting in half being decimated in the first volley.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Robin smiled to the green armor knight. "I definitely owe you."

"Thanks!" Stahl returned a white grin of his own.

Above them, a deep roar followed by the heavy beating of wings from behind drawing duo's attention to the two large figures. Flying away on the Pegasus was Sumia and Chrom trying their best to evade the jaws of a particularly large wyvern hotly pursing them.

"Going to need a lift." Robin gestured to Stahl with the latter helping him onto the horse.

Cracking the rein of his whip, the tactician readied a spell in hand.

The battle had been won but the once peaceful border was stained with strife. With no loss on their side, the Shepherds prepared to march back to the capital. Though reluctant, Maribelle gave her thanks to the tactician whose quick thinking and strategy helped save Ricken and her life. Ricken, however, was reprimanded by Chrom for his recklessness. After witnessing the magical prowess of the youngster, Robin managed to convince the young lord into granting the young mage's permission to participate on the front lines.

"Forgive me, Emm" Chrom's bowed shamefully. His sister's back was turned staring at the hovering crows circling the carnage scattered over the rocky border pass.

"It's all right, Chrom." the Exalt faced her brother, the corner of her lips trying hard to suppress her inner sadness. "You were only protecting me."

Even if the young lord's rash behavior threatened to endanger the country, his loving heart was in the right place. But gone were the old days as a new day was coming, the day of banner being raised and the sound of war drumming at their doorsteps.

"Milady. The Mad King will be rallying his forces, if they have no mobilized already." Frederick's cautious words struck a chord to everyone present. "I suggest we make haste back to Ylisstol and discuss our strategy."

Emmeryn sighed in sync with Robin. Today's action would repeat bringing one of many more conflicts to come. The black-hair male watched the fire return to the Exalt's gaze before addressing her countrymen.

"Of course. We must protect the Ylissean people at all costs."


	9. Chapter 7: Hour of Twilight

_**Winning the tournament, Chrom has successful secured Regna Ferox's aid to Ylisse. Upon returning back home, the good news is quickly shattered as one of the Shepherds is captured by Gangrel, the Mad King of Plegia. Upon refusing his demand for the Fire Emblem, a bloody battle ensues. Chrom and Robin must now prepare the Shepherds and themselves as the drums of war now beats across the battlefield.**_

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 7: Hour of Twilight<strong>

Far from the city walls of Ylisstol, the Shepherds found themselves on the dusty road again. While others sparred, maintain their physique, or patrolling the encampment, a lone figure hid under his tent writing furiously on the pages of a small notebook. To Robin, he could hardly believe a week had passed since the battle at Plegia-Ylisse border. In respect to Emmeryn's wishes, the Shepherds began a two week campaign patrolling the Ylissean countryside as the main capital mobilized anticipating a long and bloody war.

Having resided with the Shepherds over a month now, the tactician could feel his responsibility and workload mounting. Often spending more time sleeping on his desk than on his comfortable cot, everyone could tell Robin was overworking himself with the dark bags under his eyes and dragging footsteps.

When word of mouth reached Chrom and Lissa about the tactician's unhealthy work habit, Robin received a stern lecture from the two royal siblings and ordered to rest. Despite his grumbling, Robin was grateful of his friends' watchful eye on his health, even if it meant avoiding work for a while. But tacticians, his mind echoed, are the ones who hold the lives of their men in their hand and guide them to victory with as minimal of losses as permitted.

Utilizing his Skip-Work card, his interactions with each individual Shepherd revealed their bizarre quirks that he never knew. One of these examples happened to be Maribelle where she suddenly approached him earlier that day. The blonde noble had requested him to educate her on the 'common' talk, phrasing her words that sounded of gratitude and demeaning at the same time. Another example happened the day beforehand with him and Vaike. The two literally ran for their lives when Sully's demonic horse spotted them trying to peek at the woman's bathing.

Chuckling at his foolishness, Robin found a spot underneath a tree a few meters away from camp. Leaning against the tree, Robin gently set his exhausted body down to avoid bumping his bruises. With war openly declared, the tactician understood that survival meant a conditioned body and mind.

In an effort to hone his skill with the blade, the tactician had convinced Frederick, Chrom, and even Lon'qu to help him on a requested basis. In the afternoon, Robin pitted himself against Virion whom he learned when planning strategies was knowledgeable in the area of tactics. Plus, he needed to break his 68th losing streak against the obnoxious noble. From Lissa and Maribelle, he learned to properly apply emergency first-aid.

With a heavy yawn, Robin felt his eye lids grow heavy letting the soft afternoon breeze and tiny birds chirping lull him to sleep.

The sorcerer's anguished cries echoed the dark hall as he fell to his knee. Without another sound, the man's lifeless body ignited into purple flames. Panting heavily with his palm out stretched was Robin. The hooded man sighed, fortunate at his luck that allowed him enough time to land the final magical bolt on the sorcerer. With the battle finally over, Chrom broke into an exhausted smile which Robin mirrored.

"This isn't over!" a thundering rasping voice echoed in their ears.

To the pair's horror, the half disintegrated sorcerer rose. With skin now charcoal black and flashing blood red, the sorcerer outstretched his right arm aiming for Chrom. "DAMN YOU BOTH!"

As time slowed, Robin stepped forward to push Chrom aside. Gradually, the brightness of the spell became overwhelmingly blinding. Gritting his teeth, Robin felt his nerves writhe in pain like needles jabbing into every pore before his wounded figure flew across the hall. With a nasty thud, the young man barely saw the young lord rushing over to his side.

"Are you all right?" Chrom steadied his friend before help the latter sit. The two males glance once more to watch the body of the sorcerer finally burn out, the scorch marks serving as a final reminder of the terrible duel.

"Thanks to you, we carried the day." Chrom smiled, feeling Robin's grasping fingertip grow in strength in an effort to stand.

As the young lord turned to look at the sorcerer's fading body again, a staggering wave of pain rushed through Robin's mind. The hooded man struggled to shake the throbbing sensation and red pulsing veins corrupting his fading vision of the world around him. Soon, the words of Chrom barely register to Robin with his conscious slowly drifting away. Unknown to Chrom, Robin's brown eyes diluted into blood red with his pupil retracting until they were reptilian slits. A surge of strength ripped through Robin's body at the proximity of his prey. Feeling the tension leave his friend's body, Chrom's smile faded into questions of concern.

"What's wrong? Hey, hang on-" the young lord's hollow words echoed fruitlessly when a sharp tingling pain coursed in his gut.

Silence held in the dark hall before the two males looked downwards. A large yellow electric bolt spearhead protruded from Chrom's abdominal. Taking a step back in shock, the young lord looked to Robin who stared at his palm in horror.

"This is not your- your fault." Chrom gasped.

Cold sweat dripped from his pores and the sensation of warmth and movability of his joints cruelly embraced him. Darkness rapidly course through his vision, before Chrom could utter his plead. "Promise me…you'll escape from this place….Please, go…"

With a final groan, the young lord collapsed at Robin's feet and remained still.

Stepping away from the fallen prince, a thin smile followed by a crescendo wicked laughter echoed the dead hallways. Robin's vision completely shrouded in red before darkness returned to swallow his dream.

With a jolt, Robin looked to his surroundings covered with a shiver. The warm air had dropped considerably with the sun already setting beyond the clouds. Patting his clothes and slapping his cheeks, the tactician concluded his conscious return to reality. He was still at the camp.

'What was that?' Robin rubbed the stiffness in his face.

Two dreams and Chrom happened to be in both of them. The first dream was prior to his meeting with Chrom in the field outside of Southtown. The second dream? Robin had no idea what to think of the vision. Even when black-hair man muttered to himself that his visions were only dreams, the sensation and pain felt real.

'Why am I seeing this? Who was that person Chrom talking to?' Robin shook his head. There were so many questions but they always remain unanswered.

Frustrated, the tactician decided to have a meal to clear his mind. With the lack of light, Robin found traversing in darkness rather difficult which proved true for everyone else. On his path towards the mess hall, a person carrying a large pile of books continued to walk at him.

"Hey, watch it!" Robin barked.

Seeing the person refuse to stop, the black-hair male clicked his tongue in annoyance and step to the side. When a soft voice apologized, Robin circled around the pile of books in curiosity. To his surprise, the clumsiest Shepherd offered a smile.

"Sumia?!"

Startled at the sudden voice, the pegasus knight's turn only to have her foot violently slipped sending hazardous projectiles through the air.

"Ugh." Sumia groaned, her face planting the earth with an skull-breaking thud. Robin winced in sympathy, emerging from the cover of Stahl's tent before rushing to his friend's aid.

"Sorry. I didn't think you trip." the black-hair male dropped to face Sumia.

"It's alright." Sumia awkwardly rubbed her red nose once. Seeing her books thrown all over the floor, the pegasus knight sighed before restacking the closest books in a pile.

"Here, let me help." Robin grabbed a lying book that nearly collided with his face moments ago.

Upon stacking the twelfth book, curiosity got the better of Robin at the sudden gathering of literature work. "If you don't mind me asking, are you going to read all of them?"

"Actually yes!" Sumia smiled, placing another book atop of her enormous pile. "Someone threw them out of a wagon, so I'd figured I'd give them a good home."

"What a good idea!" Robin chuckled heartily.

Even outside the Shepherds, there was no secret that the tactician had an obsession with books. If he wasn't working on a new plan or spending time socializing with someone, his nose was stuck behind pages or scrolls for hours on end.

With a thoughtful look, Sumia glance to her stacked book pile. "You can borrow some if you want. I certainly can't read them all at once."

"You don't mind?" Robin's ears perked up, giddily wondering at the type of books he could possibly read for the evening.

"How about this?" Sumia handed Robin a large book with a red cover and musty pages. "Shanty Pete and the Haunted Pirates"!

"Err, thanks but I don't like to read scary stories before bed." the black-hair male and pegasus knight chuckled nervously.

Continuing her search, Sumia handed a small gray book. "What about…'A Simpleton's Guide to Pegasus Care?"

Robin flipped through the hay-smelling pages before shaking his head. "I'm not really that into animal nonfiction…"

With a determined smile, Sumia continued shuffling through the pile of books before showing a yellow book with a rather ferocious looking wyvern in the middle. "Third time's the charm. 'Wyvern Wars: Terror at High Noon"!

With another shake of his head, Robin tucked his hand beneath his chin. "Do you perhaps have anything a bit more…literary?"

"Ah, I'm USELESS at this!" Sumia wailed.

Robin immediately felt guilty when the corner of his fellow pegasus knight eyes slowly filled with tears.

"Just pick him out a book, Sumia! It's so easy, Sumia! I'm too…darn…" Sumia continued her torrid, beating her lap before openly crying.

'Oh goodness,' Robin quickly reached into his pocket and offered his handkerchief. His insensitivity towards his comrade was simply the gods using him as their source of entertainment.

Grabbing the yellow cover book on his friend's lap, the tactician hastily skimmed through the first page accidently giving himself a paper cut. "A-actually, did you say 'Wyvern Wars'? I've always wanted to read that one!"

After flipping through several pages, the pegasus knight's crying slow to a sniffle. "I mean, it has terror at high noon and everything, right? You, uh can't be that…"

Hearing the awkward stumbling of such an intelligent man brought a giggle to Sumia's lips. With a final dab of her friend's handkerchief, the pegasus knight looked to Robin. "R-really?"

"Y-yes." Robin awkwardly smile, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh, I'm so happy. I hope you like it!" Sumia beamed. Grasping her newly stack of books, the pegasus knight bid farewell before making her way back to her tent.

Once alone, Robin beat his head over with his borrowed book. "Gods! How could I be so insensitive?!"

Feeling completely drain at the constant self-berating, the black hair male jolted in surprise at a deep voice calling out his name. Sighing, Robin was greeted by Frederick standing at attention.

"What is it, Frederick?" Robin's eyes narrowed, an uncomfortable feeling emanating from the great knight.

"It appears we have a problem." Frederick answered. Without a word, the two Shepherds made their way to center of their encampment, the War Tent.

ERAAH!" Robin yelled. His voice like many others was married to the sound of open conflict throughout the evening forest.

During a scheduled rotation for the night patrol shift, a young village boy wearing a pot as a helmet was found approaching their campsite and halted. He explained he needed Chrom's help for one dire situation. Since the declaration of war, the number of bandit attacks throughout Ylisse had increase by 200%. The occurrences that unfortunately inflate the reported statistical findings happened to villages far from the capital. Knowing Chrom, the Shepherds quickly rallied behind their Captain to repel the brigands despite Robin's wariness of a potential trap.

Despite having no prior combat experience, the young villager named Donnel managed to persuade Chrom to let him fight the bandits for personal reasons. Not only was the villager's home sacked, the robbing scum also captured a number of the villagers, including his mother. Using his skills to track down his foes, the Shepherds eventually found the bandit's hideout located deep in the forest within a crumbling fortress ruin. Robin noticed that such terrain put the attackers at a disadvantage as the walls protecting the defenders from air reconnaissance and dampened their projectiles. Even worse was the fact that there were only two entrances and were narrow.

Just as Robin approached the young lord with a strategy, Lissa returned out of breath with a detailed lay out of the fort's innards. Taken aback by this new information especially coming from Lissa, Robin re-adjusted his plan and advised a concentrated attack through the shortest path to split the bandit group in half.

"Now Ricken!" Chrom dashed to the side upon parrying the bandit's crashing axe blow.

As light glowed around the young mage, the magical essence within the tome surged through Ricken's hand before circulating to his fingertips. Soon, a house size torrent of wind blasted forward with destructive force toppling any trees foolish to stand in its wake. The bandit could only scream in horror as his body flew through the air before smashing into the ruin walls with a sickening thud. Praising the young lad, Chrom watched Vaike and Sully raced through the trees to get to eliminate the archer harassing their forces.

"This is going to be tougher than I thought." Ricken groaned, his body relaxing from the healing Maribelle administer.

Thanking the blonde troubadour, the young mage followed the remaining Shepherds who had already entered the fortress ruin.

Meanwhile

Shadows of footsteps raced across the walls of the once mighty fortress as a small number of Shepherds ran down the hallway. Spearheading the assault was Robin alongside Donnel. The two were making their way to the room Lissa had said the captured villagers were kept. The bandits, however, had other plans as they mobilized to intercept the intruders.

"Gotch' yer back!" Donnel yelled, directing a lance blow at Robin's back to the ground with his borrowed bronze lance. With a stomp, the villager's opponent screamed when Donnel broke the lance head and thrust his own weapon multiple times: one in the right hand, three in the chest, two on the left upper arm, and one in the thigh.

"Nice!" Robin smiled, punching a pouncing thief away with his free hand.

'He'll definitely make a fine Shepherd with the proper training,' the tactician narrowly avoided an impatient dagger thrusts to his face before sheathing his sword. Flipping through the yellow tome's pages, Robin cartwheeled backwards and hurled an electric bolt.

The thief rolled out of the projectile's path but realized too late as the attack was a feint. With a swift dash, Donnel silenced the man with a deadly downward thrust to the throat. With the enemy routed for the moment, Lissa ran up to the tactician and tired villager to check for wounds.

"You're doing great." Robin chuckled, watching Lissa steadily worked to clean and bandage a nasty cut sporting on Donnel's upper arm.

As the smile subsided, Robin watch Lon'qu coolly returning to his silent demeanor once the quiet settled in. Robin inwardly thanked the gods for blessing the Shepherd's ranks with a skilled swordsman. Over the past few days, the tactician had developed a mutual respect for the ex-Feroxi champion when he was soundly beaten in all of their sparring matches and duels.

Robin could not help himself but feel irritated at the swordsman cold behavior towards Lissa. Even if the tactician understood the reason behind the Feroxi's aversion to women, there was no excuse to see his ward like the plaque.

"There. All done." Lissa set her staff aside to admire her handiwork.

Despite the hellish situation thrown onto her shoulder, the blonde cleric endured. She was somewhat grateful of Frederick's personal training and guidance. Equipped with basic knowledge in usage of weaponry and a stronger body, Lissa achieved a small satisfaction at the thought of being an asset to her friends and country.

After thanking the blonde cleric, the four were alerted to the sound of approaching footsteps drawing closer. Drawing their weapons, a bandit emerged from the corner yelling to his comrade of the intruder's location.

'Well, so much for resting,' Robin smirked; his hands trembled and glowed with the embers of slaughter.


	10. Chapter 8: Creeping Past

_**Obeying Emmeryn's request, the Shepherds patrol countryside to maintain order as Ylisse begins to mobilize its army. Using the time along the road, the Shepherds use it to hone their skills. Having stayed with the Shepherds a little under two months, Robin has never felt more at home as the bond he shares with them grows.**_

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 8: Creeping Past<strong>

With the first ray of sunlight stretching across the shaded purple sky, the first bell rings of a new day rang throughout the great city of Ylisstol. Within a couple of hours, the sound of pounding dough and yeast expanding rouse the nose of men, women, and children who prepared themselves to attend a new day of their stagnant lives. Down at the Ylissean barracks, several people grunted as they stretched for the training drills sure to come. One man dressed in armor watched in silence as a tall, black hair male outpaced his opponent in a makeshift circle. When a loud cry was heard, the spectators that had gathered to watch the match cheered.

"Alright, that's enough for today." the judge stepped into the ring revealing a smiling Frederick.

Lying flat on his back in the middle of the ring laughing was Donnel, one of the latest Shepherd to join their ranks. Standing over him exhausting but smiling was Robin. Sheathing his wooden sword to the side, Robin extended his hand to the young villager who gladly accepted.

Having routed the bandit leader and saving the captured villagers, Donnel figured he had found his true calling. Though his mother was reluctant to let her son leave home and join the ranks of the Shepherds, Robin and Chrom promised she would see him again.

As Robin sat on a bench to dry himself with a towel, he felt someone's finger tap his left shoulder. When he turned to see, the tactician only saw an empty seat next to him. Unconvinced that the tapping was paranoia, Robin closed his eyes as he focused all of his senses to feel the air. Alert at the change of density, Robin opened his eyes only to meet a flick to the forehead.

"Damn it Anna!" Robin yelled, rubbing his red forward while lying on the floor. A laughing red blur was already racing toward the training field exit by the time he picked himself off the floor.

In Robin's honest opinion, he had more headaches with the red hair merchant than Chrom's destructive tendency during practice. The first time he and the Shepherds met Anna was during a bandit raid. Had they not arrive in time, the woman's effort to defend a village alone would have ended in disaster. The second time was something even the clever tactician had found hard to swallow. Apparently, the Anna he had previously met was one of her many identical-looking sister merchant(s) scattered across the world. Like all of them, they were particularly very motivated when money was involved.

'I've really got to keep an eye out for our funds. Damn it, Chrom,' Robin groaned as he turned left down a long hallway in the Exalt's palace.

Due to Chrom's persuasiveness and Emmeryn's approval, the amnestic tactician was allowed to use one of the many empty guest rooms as his living quarter rather than at the Shepherd barracks much to Frederick's disapproval. The young lord had also taken the liberty to give the Shepherds a week to rest for completing their countryside patrol much to Robin's silent approval. With a sigh, he settled his sore body to relax into the tube's heated water. Glancing out the bathroom's large window, the tactician watched the sun illuminated the city below in its splendid glory.

"The last time I visit, we were in a hurry to see Emmeryn…" Robin quietly mumbled as he rubbed his chin in deep thought. "Well, I do have a week long holiday….maybe it wouldn't hurt to sightsee."

As he rose from the lukewarm water, Robin swore loudly upon seeing his prune skin. Upon returning to his messy room, Robin changed into his signature robe and quickly race off the palace grounds. Smiling to himself, the tactician intended to use his week rest to fully explore the streets of Ylisstol.

"Ugh, not here as well." Lissa grumbled as she exited an alchemist shop with Lon'qu.

Unlike most of the female Shepherds, Lissa was spending her time off running errands for the Shepherds. She had promised Stahl during their countryside patrol to help find scales of a rare giant butterfly he needed to give to his older brother. However, Chrom had also asked her help that very day which involved buying a bottle of expensive perfume.

As the blonde princess and her bodyguard walked down the bustling crowded streets, Lissa spotted a familiar coat in shades of black and purple walking towards Ylisstol's business district. Glancing to her side, the silent swordsman gazed warily at a foreign trinket stand. Seeing her bodyguard fully distracted, an idea began to form in the princess's head. With a quick dash through the crowd, a giggling Lissa ran after Robin leaving a surprised Lon'qu struggling to make it through the mass of bodies.

Watching from a distance, the young princess would frequently duck behind cover as Robin occasionally paused to stare at the wares the larger stores displayed. When the black-hair tactician turned a sharp left, Lissa quickly ran to keep up only to bump into a cross armed Robin. Surprised, the blonde girl yelped before falling backwards on the ground.

"I figured someone was tailing me but I never expected you." Robin's eyes tensed. It was clear he was trying to maintain a serious face while masking the laughter dancing at the tip of his lips.

In the end, he ultimately failed letting a soft chuckle escape. Lissa puffed her cheeks in annoyance at her blown cover before standing to her feet with the aid of the tactician's hand.

"So what are you doing here?" Robin yawned, his nose catching whiff of freshly baked bread.

"Taking a break from running errands." Lissa replied as she entered a popular bakery. "What about you?"

The tactician did not immediately reply, glancing back and forth to a bag of raisin beard and mischief twinkle in the blonde girl's eyes. Robin couldn't help but feel nervous for he prepared himself physically and mentally for one of Lissa's quirk: pranking.

Like many other Shepherds, they had learned what their lovely royal cleric would do when she was bored. Much as he'd appreciated Lissa's detailed report of the enemy's positioning during the village hostage crisis, it was completely uncharacteristic of the princess to voice tactical information before he could observe the situation himself. When the tactician had brought the strange revelation to the young lord, his suspicion was confirmed a few days later. He accidently overheard Chrom scolding his sister attempting to scout the next area of their countryside patrol on her own. Ever since then, Robin had been wary of a retaliation prank from the blonde princess that could possible happen when he least expect it.

"I just want to see what Ylisstol is like as an ordinary citizen." Robin waved obliviously to the smitten baker girl, exiting with two loafs of bread in hand.

"The only memories I have is my name and the moment we met on that field. And now? I'm involved in a war to protect this land." Robin continued, the two stopped to let a group of playing children run pass them. "This peace might be reason why I fight."

Listening to Robin's words, she began to reminiscent about her past. Born into royalty, the young princess was often spoiled by the people around her who answered to her every whim. Even amongst the close-knit Shepherds, she was always given the easiest of task. But Robin treated her just like everyone else. She was someone he could rely on regardless of gender, nation, or background. It seemed with every meeting with the amnestic man, the attractive affinity of their first meeting in the field grew stronger each time. She wanted to know more.

'I wonder if…' Lissa glanced over to her friend who was busily giving an old lady direction to the bakery they had left. 'Well, now or never.'

"Hmm, what's wrong?" Robin muttered, taken aback at the blonde princess's distant staring.

Shaking her head, Lissa walked ahead of Robin staring at the moving clouds above. "Actually, I've always wanted to see Ylisstol too. But not as a princess though."

Turning to face Robin, the tactician felt his heart skip a beat. It was the smile; the same one that greeted him to the world. Giggling at Robin's surprise face, Lissa took a chance to capture his hanging hand.

"So how about it? I know a place where they sell tomes."

As the two felt their fingers entwined, Robin felt his cheeks flushed and laughed. His mind and body simply allowed the energetic girl to drag him into whatever shenanigan came their way.

Within the first hour, Lissa unleashed chaos onto the peaceful market stand streets when she accidently opened the pen of an angry bull. Trouble continued to follow the pair when they were nearly swept away by a rabid mob upon the arrival of a new shipment of the popular book "Make Him Fall For You in a Fortnight." To top off their misadventure, the two barely escaped with their lives after out-cheating a crooked merchant who happened to have the butterfly scales Lissa was looking for. Starving and exhausted, the two agreed to rest at Ylisstol's most beautiful park where the summer heat was beginning beat down on them.

"Gods, I'm beat!" Robin sighed, lying on the cut grass underneath the tree's shade without his signature coat.

The tactician casually wiped his dripping brow, his ears tingled at the sound of leaves rustling and swaying under a breeze. Robin's eye lids grow heavy as the gently stillness was a huge contrast to the chaotic environment he left behind minutes ago. Just as the black-hair man felt ready to doze off, his trained ears heard the sound of footsteps softly shuffling towards him. Glancing up with one eye, he recognized the bouncy blonde pigtail and sparkling green eyes.

"All tuckered out?" Lissa asked, silently eyeing the slim tone body under the soaked tactician's light beige top. "How about a quick refreshing shoulder rub?"

Immediately rouse, Robin held his breath anticipating the trouble to come. "…What are you plotting now?"

"Oh, please." Lissa waving her hands dismissively. "One little joke, one little time and you get all paranoid."

Feeling Robin's skeptical gaze inger, the blonde girl sighed. "This isn't about pranking anybody. I figure I owe you…"

'Hehe, let's see if it works,' Lissa giggled. She had set the perfect trap.

"How do you figure?" the tactician perked his body upright when the conversation shifted into aninteresting territory.

"You've taken a huge weight off my brother's shoulders, silly!" the blonde girl smiled before taking one of Robin's loaves and biting into it. "You know what Chrom's like. He's not the type to come out to ask for help, even when he needs it."

Watching the black-hair man pondered on her words, Lissa continued. "But he trusts you, Robin. Enough to rely on you."

Lissa set her half-eaten bread aside, listening to the insects chirping in the buzzing heat. Truthfully, she was bit envious at what the amnestic man had accomplished in a month whereas she worked her whole life trying to escape the shadows of her older accomplished siblings.

"You think so?" Robin's glare softened.

'Gosh, what a gaze,' Lissa smiled before standing. "I know so! Nobody knows my big brother like me."

"Well, that is nice to hear…" Robin sighed before lying down on the soft grass.

"So, what do you say? Free massage?" the devious trickster extended her fingers in a countdown. "Going once….Gooooooooing twiiice…"

"Okay, I accept! I accept!" Robin chuckled, sitting upright. "...Thanks, Lissa."

With her plan set in motion, Lissa cracked her hand with anticipation once her target offered his back to her. As her hands roamed the tactician's back, the princess had to distract herself when she realized it was her first time she was touching a man willing besides her brother and healing sessions.

"Geez, your muscles are just one big knot back here." The blonde cleric stifled her laughter at the occasional jumping shoulder of the tactician. Clearly, he was ticklish.

"….Aaaaaah, yes, right there." Robin voiced his approval, his eyes half-closed at the soft hands massaging one particular spot on his back he couldn't reach himself.

"How about this?" Lissa snickered, reaching for the mysterious bag and found her tool of the day: a frog. Opening the top of her victim's clothes, the blonde girl dropped the poor amphibian.

"WhaAAAGH!" Robin immediately scrambled to his feet, realizing too late he was deceived the moment the he accepted the massage offer.

When the cold and slimy object began to move, the tactician screamed in an unmanly voice that echoed across the park. "AUGH! IT MOVED!"

As the frog continued to hop frantically in search of an exit, the tactician responded in kind by continuing to flail. "WHAT DID YOU DO LISSA? WHAT IN BLAZES WAS THAT?"

His answer went unheard. While flailing like a crazed ragdoll, he saw Lissa rolling on the floor howling in laughter.

By the time a visibly exhausted Robin shook his clothes free of any other content, the blonde trickster was clutching her stomach struggling to contain her laughter. Wiping a tear from her moist eyes, Lissa finally croaked. "Oh relax. It's just a frog."

"You were so perfectly calm, I couldn't resist." the blonde girl snickered, her thoughts replaying the face the tactician made with the frog in his back. "It had to be done!"

"I'm pretty sure it did NOT!" a red-faced Robin fumed, remembering the stares and the frog crawling into areas that must not be named. "Didn't you say frogs make you 'all pukey"?

"I'm willing to put up with a lot for the sake of comedy." the blonde princess shrugged her arms before erupting into a new round of giggles.

Clearly annoyed, the black hair tactician grabbed the frog that was previously shoved down his back to have his vengeance. "Well, that makes one of us!"

'I am so going to make him do the rubbery thing with his face again.' Lissa squeaked, her boots kicking a bit of grass as she began to run from an irritated tactician.

Upon returning to the palace as the first evening bell rang, Robin and Lissa were apprehended by an angry Chrom and Maribelle. After their scolding, the two departed ways with Lissa along the blonde troubadour went to search for Lon'qu to apologize for her reckless move. Upon entering his room, Robin slumped on his door with his marked hand over his forehead.

'What is wrong with you?!' Robin's conscious screamed at him.

'There's nothing wrong spending time with a beautiful girl,' his other conscious smoothly presented his case.

'She's Chrom's sister, you imbecile,' his first conscious objected.

With his concentration robbed by his battling minds, Robin hurriedly left his room for a breath of fresh air. Having spent his day off with the rather eccentric princess, the young man couldn't help but smile at the memories they created. Despite their hectic misadventure, they were something part of his life now. Descending down a spiral flight of stairs, the tactician couldn't help but find his thoughts trailing back to one particular person.

'Oh gods,' Robin shook his head, trying to remember the original purpose for leaving his room

His efforts were interrupted when he heard a loud sigh. Curiosity getting the better of him, the tactician went in search of the noise only to see Chrom walking alone in deep thought.

"Chrom?" Robin announced his presence to his anxious friend before walking towards him. "What are you doing out so late?"

"Remember, I want the Emblem in my hand and Emmeryn dead on the floor." a sinister hoarse voice snarled to a kneeling hooded man with three sharped blades protruding from his hard leather vambraces.

"As you will it." the shadowy figure motioned his companion dressed in the same outfit, their light footsteps scaling over the Exalt palace walls undetected.

Stepping into the moonlight was a tall thin black hair man with gray-ash skin wearing a dark and purple clock and robe designed in a way that exposed the man's well tone body. His long claw fingertips tightly clamped around a purple tome with a six eye arranged on the cover that radiate immense dark energy. The most noticeable and frightening aspect of the man were his sunken yellows with reptilian slits for his pupils.

With a wave of his free hand, purple flames followed the man's motion creating an image he could observe from far away. His eyes widen upon seeing a familiar figure chatting with the Ylissean prince.

"Ho ho!" the man amusingly laughed. "After years of searching…fate truly piles the gifts at my feet!"

Waving the image away, dark sorcerer turned his focus to the large palace gate standing in his way. Behind him, an innumerable amount of clocked men readied their weapon amongst the slain Palace sentry on the ground. Raising his left hand, the tome pages flapped wildly as the ancient language echoing from the man's lips answered the corrupted wish for power. With a roar, the dark sorcerer let his spell exploded in a fiery wave, blasting aside the door that echoed across the soon to be wailing night.


	11. Chapter 9: Unseen Greetings

_**With the Shepherds resting for the upcoming war, Robin explores the city of Ylisstol where he unexpectedly meets Lissa. Upon spending the day with her, he is now faced with a dilemma with his heart and mind fighting one another. With his mind in shambles, Robin takes an evening stroll only for the palace to come mysterious attacked.**_

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 9: Unseen Greetings<strong>

As the summer evening shrouded Ylisstol, the Royal Palace's Halls rattled with shrieking explosions and soldiers fighting around every corner of its corridors. Fighting alongside the palace guards were the Shepherds but the few members present struggled to repeal the sudden horde of assassins. In the right wing of the palace, clouds of dust heavily saturated the air while bolts of different color were exchanged down a narrow hallway. The intense showdown was between a large group of mages trying to make their way to the throne room against an angry prince, an amnestic tactician, a blonde troubadour, an orange hair thief, and a giant rabbit in armor.

"You did what?!" Robin's voice rang loud even amongst the chaos, tensing when another thunder bolt shattered an unfortunate antique vase.

Lying next to the black-hair man using an over turned table for cover was Chrom. At some point during the conflict, the tactician had stood too close to an imploding spell leaving his left ear ringing.

'Note to self: One, spell plus spell in close quarter equals blindness and deaf. Two, always keep an eye out for Chrom.'

"Err…" Chrom flinched as the palace ceiling shook from an intense blast elsewhere. "Can we talk about this later?"

"What?! I can't hear you!" Robin covered his face with his arm when a bolt of wind punched a fist-sized hole between them.

The moment the prince poked his head slightly out of cover, several fireballs immediately soared in his direction. Those that missed ricochet wildly through the hall, some blasting new craters into the decorated palace walls.

"Ugh." Robin pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "I turn around for one minute and I see you actually recruiting someone…IN the middle of a battle!"

Half an hour ago, the mysterious Marth had snuck into the royal ground to warn Chrom and Robin of an assassination attempt on Emmeryn's life in the evening. Though the two men were wary to believe such a statement, the sudden appearance of an assassin throwing himself upon Chrom was quickly foiled with 'his' intervention. However, Marth was not prepared for a second assassin to strike allowing the second to split the mysterious savior's mask in half. With 'his' disguise blown, Chrom was shocked that 'he' or as Robin knew was a she. Once they heard the loud explosion, the two had no choice but to believe in Marth's word. Currently, she was stationed in front of Emmeryn's door to defend her which the young lord was reluctant to order.

"Guess who!" the orange hair thief hollered, leaping from the edge of a broken window and pounced on the nearest mage.

With the hallway momentarily free of projectiles, Robin hurriedly rolled back and began chanting a wind spell in his hand.

'_Ventus,'_ the black hair tactician roared, a blast of wind forcing the table to hurtle down the hallway.

The mages scattered as the wooden furniture splintered everywhere into hazardous fragments. With the wall of projectiles gone, Robin charged headfirst onto the nearest mage before pulling his sword with a vicious upward tug.

The orange-hair man helping the Shepherds in their current battle was called Gaius. When the horde of assassins began flooding the palace grounds, Robin manage to single out the skilled individual within the enemy's rank. However, to the tactician's disbelief, Chrom had decided to confront the thief alone even if meant going behind enemy lines. Only with the aid of Maribelle was Robin able to bring the two men back alive.

Feeling a rush of air behind him, the tactician pivot his body away from his opponent and leaned backwards just as a body rocket past him. Glaring everyone down with its beady red eyes at the center of the room while bouncing back and forth on its gigantic hind legs was a horse-sized rabbit outfitted with loose purple armor. In a twist of events, the Shepherds received their third assistant in the form of a female with very long droopy narrow ear at the top of her head called Panne. Needless to say, Robin knew his new aide was not human. Throughout the fight, she remained quiet but her transformation into a giant bunny armed with razor sharp claws told their foes otherwise.

"Look out!" Maribelle yelled. Guiding her horse in front of Robin, she raised a staff with a blue diamond crystal embedded to its tip. The air rippled and a magical barrier large enough to protect her horse emitted forward. Any spells that meet the barrier were nulled.

"Thank you." Robin panted, wiping his ashen forehead with the sleeve of his robe. Using the temporary stasis as an opportunity to reassess the situation, the black-hair tactician's eyes scanned the battle situation and enemy forces.

"You should watch yourself next time." Maribelle huffed. Glancing from the corners of her eyes, the blonde troubadour watched in amazement at Robin's calm state even while strategizing out in the thick of battle.

"Chrom, it's time to find the leader responsible for the attack." Robin faced his friend at the end of the skirmish.

Meanwhile

"Hngh!" Lon'qu grunted, forcefully tugged an arrow protruding out from his left arm.

"Lon'qu!" Lissa clamped her hands tightly to force the bleeding from becoming critical and keeping the swordsman awake.

Since the beginning of the attack, the Feroxi swordsman had stayed by his ward's side fending off waves of assassins from the opposite wing of the palace. Only with trained ears did Lon'qu block an arrow from striking the panicking blonde cleric healing a fallen palace guard.

'This is my fault,' Lissa helped her bodyguard stand. "Please, you can't…Don't die!"

"…It's just a single arrow. It won't kill me." Lon'qu barely grunted. The man's glanced nervously at the sudden warmth of a female body.

"Yeah, but…" Lissa began until she heard the familiar shower of whistling arrows. Pulling the taller man with her behind a wall, lethal projectiles bounced harmlessly off the granite tiles. "I think we're surrounded!"

"I wager we've found your assassins. Stay close!" Lon'qu grasped his sword with a bloodied shaking hand, bracing himself for the fast approaching footsteps converging on their location.

Robin and Chrom panted heavily as they rolled away in the trimmed grass from a ball of purple flames hurled at them. Waiting for the two Shepherds outside of the palace was the ringleader of the evening's event. In a strange way, the man was thin like Robin and even wore a robe of similar color and design. The obvious difference was the twisted gold circlet on his spiky black head, a v-line opening down before the belly button, and black mesh covering the exposed muscular chest. The dark sorcerer cackled, staring down at the crouching lord and tactician with menacing eyes.

"Who are you?" Chrom demanded, pointing Falchion as it continued to glow blow at the wicked presence.

"My name is Validar." the dark sorcerer voice's slithered, looking past the young lord. Rather, the menacing figure was focusing his attention on the black-hair tactician. "Well, I know you…"

'I've seen him in my dreams! What's going on?!' Robin grasped the hilt of his sword until his knuckles turned white, his body continued to shiver uncontrollably. 'Whoever he is, my senses are saying this man is bad news.'

"Submit to me, and perhaps I might honor you with the truth!" Validar's dark laughter echoed, casually stepping forward.

With a snarl, Robin rushed to his feet and swung his sword in a fierce upward arc. The sorcerer winced as the pointed edge etched a small cut on his cheek. Energy cackling from Validar's hand when Robin tried for a second attack, their clashing sending thousands of tiny spark into the night.

"You'll pay for that." the sorcerer growled, all traces of amusement vanished from his face. To Robin's shock, Validar grasped his sword before hurling him over the shoulder across the grassy lawn.

"Grgh!" Robin grunted as he skidded to his feet. 'This guy is stronger than he looks!'

Sheathing his blade, the tactician unclasped one of his thunder tomes and quickly flipped through the pages. As Robin's voice prepared a spell, the familiar streak of gold and blue race forward to meet Validar.

"My turn!" Chrom roared, both hands bearing Falchion down in an overhead diagonal arc.

Surprised at the young lord's speed, Validar barely caught the blade with the magic that raced inhumanely to his palm before leaping several feet into the air.

Looking above, Chrom began to run as spells rained down on him. The blue hair lord shielded his face as he ran, each flashing bolt imploded with intense heat. As Validar softly landed on the crater filled palace ground, he could not react to the streaks of electricity flying from the darkness. The dark sorcerer fell backwards upon being struck twice in the chest, burning the black mesh aside. While Validar groaned on the floor, Chrom leaped into the air before bringing Falchion down to cull the perpetrator.

"No…how could…" Validar gurgled before slumping headfirst and disintegrating in a mass of purple flames.

"Ugh…that was close." Chrom panted, leaning on his sword on his knees. He and Robin watched in silence as the last of the dark sorcerer's remains disappeared into the starry sky.

With Validar's defeat, the rest of the assassins immediately fled into the night. When the Shepherds regrouped, Lissa and Lon'qu were the only people still missing. Despite his exhaustion, Robin joined the others sweeping the palace in search for the two. The tactician eventually found them hiding in one of the small cabin boards but Lissa worked desperately to save a dying Lon'qu. Helping Lissa carried Lon'qu to a nearby bed room, the princess stayed close to her bodyguard to help him recover. With the Shepherds already dismissed to the healing wards, Robin went to the throne room where Emmeryn, Phila, Chrom, and Frederick were already engaged in discussion.

"It was Plegia! I'm sure of it" Chrom's voice boomed when the tactician strolled past the blasted wooden throne doors. "They'd do anything for the Emblem."

"Your Grace. Please reconsider." Phila pleaded.

"Chrom, war is at our border. I will not leave the people undefended or this country without a leader." Emmeryn sighed. "They must know their exalt stands with them."

"But if something happens to you?" Chrom asked, visibly frustrated at his sister's plight. "What then?"

Sensing the discussion taking a turn for the worse, Frederick interjected. "Your Grace. Perhaps you might relocate to the eastern palace for the time being?"

As everyone's ears listened to the great knight's word, he continued. "The other kingdoms know nothing of it. You would be safer."

Nodding quickly, Chrom turned to his sister. "Yes, please. At least that."

Knowing that all three would persist until she agreed, Emmeryn glanced over to a silent Robin who nodded in return. "Very well."

With the secret plans finalize, Robin and Chrom eventually caught up with Marth trying to leave without a word. Once again, she spoke in cryptic words before taking her leave. Hoping to improve morale, Gaius and Panne were introduced as the two newest members of the Shepherd. Exhausted from their ordeal, the lord and his tactician began walking to their quarters.

"I'm glad that it's finally over." Chrom yawned, the footsteps crunching over shattered glass contrasted with the silence hanging through the battle-torn palace.

Glancing through one of the shattered windows, the evening stars were slowly hiding from the streaks of light shining in the horizon. Chrom's gaze lingered at the scenario, his foot caught on the edge of a crater on the marble floor. As the young lord began to topple, Robin grabbed his friend's arm and pulled him upright.

"I didn't think I signed up for something like this." the black-hair man chuckled.

Chrom frowned at his friend's words but he couldn't help but laugh along. As the two continued to walk, the young lord remembered Validar telling Robin something that enraged his friend.

Clearing his throat, Chrom paused in his step and faced the man of question. "Robin. Of all the time we've spent fight by each other side, I've never seen you lose you cool until today."

Seeing Robin stand in silence, the blue hair lord continued. "… What did Validar say to you?"

Scratching the back of his head, the tactician emitted a sigh before looking to Chrom. "…He said he knew me."

"What?!" Chrom's eye widened. "But-then he knows about your past?!"

"Yes and we just killed him." Robin's lips pressed to the side, frowning. "But I could care less about my past if it harms my friends in the process. No good would come if someone has to pay the price."

"We'll find another way." Chrom beamed, patting his friend's back. "I'm lucky I got someone who I could trust to watch my back."

Watching the sun slowly rise, Robin answered with a smile. "Likewise."

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><p><em><strong>Its been only a week and the Sword of the Frog Princess have already surpass 2000 views. Your critique has been a blessing and motivation in my pursuit to create a memorable story. <strong>_

_**If you haven't notice, I finally have a proper cover image. My thanks goes to **__**アマヲ **__**from pixiv for allowing me to his beautiful artworks. As the story progress, I will also change up the cover image to match the event Robin currently sits at. Stay safe and many thanks to you and your support.**_


	12. Chapter 10: Beat of Wings

_**Marth's sudden appearance is quickly followed by an assassination attempt on Emmeryn's life. During the confrontation, Robin meets Validar for the first time, the man haunting his dream and who knows his past. With the Exalt's life now targeted, Chrom and his Shepherds prepare themselves as they reach the border Regna Ferox to escort Emmeryn to safety.**_

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><p><strong>Chapter 10: Beat of Wings<strong>

The sun had crossed the horizon several times as the Shepherds escorted the Exalt across the border into Regna Ferox. Rather than the usual chaotic atmosphere Robin had grown to love, the camp was relatively quiet. After all, the Shepherds were in the presence of their country's leader and the fate of Ylisse solely depended on their success.

Hoping to ease the mood and increase morale, the tactician and young lord lend their ears to listen to the Shepherd's concerns. One of such was when Frederick entered the tactician's tent early in the morning with his usual stern face.

With an upward glance, the tactician set his quill on the organized desk and motioned the great knight to a small table near his tent's entrance.

"Hey there, Fredericson! Please take a seat" Robin smiled, anticipating the reaction he'd get from the wary great knight.

Wincing slightly, Frederick put a curled hand to his mouth to clear his throat before sitting down. "I'll thank you not to refer to me by that ridiculous name…"

"I thought you were serious about getting over this." Robin's eyes scanned the content on the table.

When he felt Frederick's heated glare, the black hair man looked back and raised his hands feigning innocence. "Look, I'm not a monster."

Gesturing to his table, a number of jerkies were neatly separated in rows on top of a red checker cloth. "This time I prepared a whole series of meats in order of gaminess. We can take it slow."

"…Well, I suppose I did ask for this." The giant of a man sighed.

"Alright then. We'll start with chicken, pork, and then beef." Robin twirled a piece in his hand. "Here."

The current scenario was strange from. But, the tactician was returning a favor on behalf of Frederick's request. In exchange for their combat lessons, the great knight secretly admitted his aversion to beat meat. Frederick expressed his desire overcome his weakness if a day were to come should the furry beast present as the only food source available.

"This is…manageable." Frederick hoarsely swallowed the rest of a mutton jerky.

"You're doing great!" Robin offered a jerky at the end of the table. "Okay, this one's venison…"

Watching the knight's face turn from questionable to disgust, Robin chuckled. "By which I mean bear."

Frederick immediately turned his head to the side and nosily spat pieces of jerky. Collapsing on the table, the great knight heaved for breath. "Ah…dying. It's s-so dark…T-tell Chrom that…"

"Oh, stop exaggerating!" Robin chuckled, offering the knight his extra water-skin already prepared in hand. With a pop, Frederick greedily drained the water before exhaling. Robin continued. "Otherwise, you might as well die here…Woah, I just had dejavu…"

"You're right." Frederick agreed, sealing the water skin. "If I succumb to this, I can't well protect everyone on the front lines."

Frederick looked to Robin. The glint in his eyes held no fear but a blazing testimony to endure the hardship of war. "My body is ready. The next sample, if you please!"

"You talked yourself back into it? Impressive" Robin mumbled, trying to comprehend the sudden turn of event. 'A little disturbing as well…'

Picking up a porcupine jerky, he looked to Frederick. "Ah…whatever works. Here, open wide!"

Under the watchful eye of the sun, a number of figures twirled around each other in a narrow canyon. The foul air and screeching blade set the tune of a deadly dance.

"Gah!" Robin grunted as he guided a Risen sword to the side with his broken sword. The Shepherds were making their way to Breakneck Pass when they were ambushed by a large group of Risen.

'I've got to start carrying a spare set' Robin growled as he watched his partner, Lon'qu rushing with his blade behind him.

With an angry grunt, the swordsman swung his blade at the Risen's torso. Screeching, the walking corpse upper body shifted as the torso was cut cleanly.

Ever since the assassination attempt, Robin would see Lissa and the swordsman more often together than usual. Though the tactician knew the two were no longer in a master-bodyguard relationship and were now just friends, somewhere in his conscious, the tightness in his chest had grown to be unbearable.

'Is this jealousy?' Robin thought before he shook his head. 'No, now is not the time to think about it.'

"Look out!" Lon'qu shouted.

Tuning back to reality, Robin noticed a dark figure descending on him. The tactician quickly barreled forward as the Risen brought his axe down, the sharp axe-head barely touching Robin's nose.

"GRAH!" the Risen roared, quickly pulling his axe out while spewing the miasma bubbling in its rotten bowels. Before Robin could pull out his tome, he heard the heavy flap of wings and a female voice.

"Watch this!" Sumia shouted as she swooped in with a javelin in hand.

With a graceful snap of her arm, the javelin spiraled through the air and pierced the Risen through the chest. Groaning, the Risen began to dissipate in a cloud of black smoke, leaving its axe as a reminder of its dreadful existence. With a sigh, Robin looked up to Sumia.

"Thanks!" he shouted before turning his attention back to the battle at hand.

After repealing the Risen ambush, Chrom ordered the Shepherds that fought to nurse their wounds as the rest hammer down for camp.

"Chrom, what did you need to see me about?" Robin poked his head into the blue-hair male's tent.

It was made clear to the tactician that Chrom viewed all of the Shepherds as equals. Still, his words carried the most weight when he was prince and captain. Instead of using an extravagant tent, the young lord had opted to use the standard solider tent, plain and simple. He did, however, carry a few luxury accessories like a mahogany wooden desk and placeholder for his holster sword, Falchion.

"I've heard what happened today." Chrom approached examining his friend. "Are you feeling alright?"

"No." Robin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Making his way over to the nearest chair, the black-hair tactician sat with a heavy thud. "I've been battling some unpleasant thoughts."

Taking the seat next to Robin, Chrom frowned.

"Is it about Validar?" He asked. When the black-hair tactician shook his head, Chrom eyes shimmered with confusion. "Then what's been distracting you?"

'You could tell him your awkward love life.' Robin's mental-self interrupted. Shaking his head, the other voice tweeted. 'Or you could ?'

"No, I am not saying any of that!" Robin shouted, slamming his palm on the table to stand up. Seeing Chrom's shock face, the tactician shook his head furiously before sitting down.

"I-it's…about Lissa…and you."

Chrom frowned. "...What do you mean?"

'Nice, you dodge that one.' Robin's mental-selves echo as they high five each other.

"What I mean is…I want our mission to succeed but…" Robin's voice trailed away.

"But…" Chrom retorted, the young lord's innocent eyes catching his own.

"…But, I'm worried that something could go wrong. Ylisse's future and Emmeryn's life are in my hands…What if I mess up?" The tactician glance at his quivering hands. The gut wrenching feeling was becoming unbearable.

"Robin." Chrom sighed. "Since we picked you up, you have given me and my sisters another chance to see the light of day. When we rise from bed, you give us and the Shepherds the strength to carry us through the day."

"But what if-"Robin shook his head; the tightness in his chest was now suffocating.

"No what ifs." Chrom nod in finality. The young lord slid from his chair and walked towards the entrance of his tent.

"You haven't failed us yet and I won't begin to doubt you now." He continued. Parting his tent flap to allow the setting sunlight enter his tent, the young lord smiled. "Besides, I'm pretty sure Frederick would have said to leave you by the road if you were truly incompetent."

"That is true…" Robin chuckled. Chrom's side. Hearing the young lord voice his complete trust and faith in him a portion of his guilt subsided. Patting his friend's shoulder, the tactician's eyes gaze toward the red evening sky, "And for that, I am truly grateful."

Dismissed, Robin began to walk to his tent when he spotted Sumia carrying a couple of books in her hand. To his surprise, he noticed her walking up to him without tripping. Raising her hand to halt him in his track, Sumia spoke.

"Hold, Robin! Do you think me insane?!" speaking with a confidence that baffled Robin. Rather than a Sumia fumbling with words, the current Pegasus knight radiated with an aura of authority.

"Well, I didn't…" Robin scratched the back of his head. Ever since the Shepherds were out on the road, not an hour would pass without him getting dragged into an abnormal situation.

"For I see that which others cannot! Demons and devils lurk in shadows dark!" Sumia continued as if she didn't hear what the tactician said.

'Oh gods, has everyone finally snapped?' Robin thought before speaking.

"Are you feeling all right, Sumia? Maybe, I should summon a healer…" he said as he began to look around.

"Oh no. I'm fine!" she giggled.

When Robin looked at her confused, Sumia explained she was re-enacting the heroine from a new book she was reading. Looking to a relieved Robin, she asked, "Do you think that's weird?"

Considering on how she was behaving from the normal Sumia he knew, Robin's mouth spoke faster than his brain, disregarding the last time when he was insensitive for her feelings. "Yes, it's actually very weird."

To his surprise, Sumia visibly winced before ruffling her hair to ease her embarrassment. Remembering the first conversation they had alone, Robin slapped his forehead.

"You don't need to pretend to be someone else. You're perfect as you are!" he said, hoping to fix the damage he had caused. "Well, maybe not perfect." again not thinking before he spoke the last part.

As he watched her face turn from frustration to puppy eye attentive, Robin continued. "If you did end up changing, we'd lose the Sumia we know and love... I'd miss it…"

Sumia slightly blush at Robin's last statement. Hoping the tactician's words was not of flattery or comfort but sincere, she asked, "R-really? But if YOU'D miss me…."

"Of course I would" Robin coolly replied, his unwavering eyes looking into hers.

Sumia radiated with new found energy as she flash a bright smile and pumped her arms. "Alright then! My next book will be about a girl's who's clumsy and plain like me!"

"Er." Robin frowned as Sumia had disregarded his previous statement of being her own person. "I think you're missing the point of-."

"The Princess Who Fell Down the Stair!" she giggled as she present him with the book. "It's PERFECT!"

"Yes…I suppose it is" Robin sighed as he wiped a sweat from his brow. 'Crisis averted.' If another person had walked in on him with Sumia crying, the tactician would have no idea on how to diffuse or explain his situation

As Sumia began to walk past the tactician, she gave yelp as her foot caught itself. Robin instinctively positioned himself to catch the falling Pegasus knight but had miscalculated one thing: her head. The pegasus knight had closed her eyes as she braced for impact, unknowingly knocking the air out of her savior. When she felt comfortable warmth on her face rather than grassy earth, she opened her eyes into Robin's broad chest.

As she tried to shift herself off the groaning tactician, she felt Robin's arms secured around her upper and lower back. Immediately, her cheeks turned bright red as she realized how close she was to a male besides Chrom catching her. Hoping Robin would not see the embarrassment on her face, Sumia tried to curl away, pressing even further into his body.

As the sweet air returned to his lungs, the tactician felt a large but soft object on top of him. His eyes diluted upon seeing Sumia lying on top of him with her head buried in his chest. Feeling an overwhelming heat from her face, he knew she was blushing. His cheeks flared as his heart began to race. The softness of Sumia's skin pressed against his and overflowing smell of daisy from her hair was intoxicating to him.

'Was she always this beautif-NO! Get up you fool!' his inner voice screamed. Before Robin could pull Sumia off of him, the sound of approaching footsteps sent a cold shiver through his body.

"Oh my gods!" a familiar voice gasped that sent Robin's stomach plummeting. Looking for the source of the noise, he met the eyes of Lissa and Maribelle. Lissa had a hand covering open mouth while the latter stared down with a look of disgust.

'…This is not going to end well' Robin groaned.

The next morning, gossip of Robin and Sumia late-night intimacy spread like wildfire throughout the encampment. Everywhere the two went, the other Shepherds would bombard them with questions or remarks like, "When did you start meeting up?" or "You go get them!"

As a result of the accident, Maribelle has refused to speak with him while Lissa choose to spend more time with Lon'qu. Even Chrom seemed a bit icy towards him during a strategy meeting they held in the morning. If one of the two caught a glimpse of the other's eye, they would turn away blushing. With the Shepherds now watching ever so closely, the teasing continued.

'Damn it.' Robin growled. As the forest began to thin, he caught a glimpse of Lissa and Lon'qu engaged in conversation nearby. 'What am I doing?'

'Perhaps it's time to answer the question of truth: do you love her?' his mental-self asked.

'…Maybe.' Robin replied.

He remained silent until the mountain slopes of Breakneck Pass were in sight.

"Good potential spot for an ambush from the air." Robin noted to himself, directing his gaze to his right where the land dropped off a steep cliff. The cries of gulls echoed above as they soar and sea waves crashing into the jagged rocks beneath him.

'Distracting yourself. Good excuse but you're not giving a proper answer. ' His psyche rebuted.

'She's a pretty and kind girl. Finding a soul mate would be easy for her. How would feel if she wasn't standing by your side?' His other inner voice chimed in.

Glancing to the talking pair once more, his stomach churned while watching Lissa laughing and the swordsman silently smiling. Looking away, Robin closed his eyes thinking of anything in an attempt to distract himself. Every time he tried, he could only remember the pranks and moments the two share, her laughter, and most noticeable of all, her bright smiling face.

His stomach dropped at the possibility of his life without Lissa in it. It felt…empty. All of the things he and Lissa shared would be given to someone else. With every beat, his heart ached in unbearable pain. Suddenly, something within him snapped. The answer was suddenly so clear.

"…Oh gods." he mumbled quietly upon opening his eyes. "I'm a fool."

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><p><em><strong>Hey guys! I want to do something special by the end of this week and I need your help with it. You see, not many authors and their reader interact with one another other than editing or enjoying the story. Well, I want to change that up. If there are unanswered questions lurking in the bottom of your heart and needs to be set free, ask away. I respect all privacy so if you ask a question, your name will not be revealed unless request otherwise.<strong>_

_**To ask, leave a private message and I will post it along with the new chapter. If you do not have a fanfiction account, you may send it to akmoy01 gmail dot com. Thanks for the support!**_


	13. Chapter 11: Grit Days

_**As the Shepherds make their way to the drop-off point, Breakneck Pass, tensions begin to mount from within. In an attempt to ease their stress, Robin has been offering his counsel with varied results. The tactician is now caught in an awkward situation while at the same time comes to term with the feeling he has bottled inside.**_

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><p><strong>Chapter 11: Grit Days<strong>

Long trails of shadows cast over the pebbles on the road as men and beast silently marched through the mountainous terrain of Breakneck Pass. At Robin's request, the Shepherds were on high alert of possible ambushes as they approached the Feroxi border. He explained in their morning debrief of the elevated area serving as a natural cover for the attackers which would leave them exposed putting them at a serious disadvantage. Using the opportunity to leave the camp, Sumia volunteered to scout ahead with the Pegasus Knight Squadron. Once the blushing Pegasus knight faded into a dark speck in the clear sky, Chrom looked to Robin.

"Are you sure there's nothing between you two?" the young lord asked, his blue eyes stared pleading into his friend.

"For the hundredth time, there's nothing between us…" Robin groaned, pinching the furrowed bridge of his nose.

The tactician yawned, having spent rest the entire night contemplating the consequences of following his desire. With a glance from the corner of his eyes, Robin's breath caught in his throat. There was Lissa, staring out into the sea by herself. Lately, the usual sprightly aura surrounding the princess was dampened whenever he was around.

'You could just leave for a moment to speak with her…just saying,' the tactician's inner voice echoed.

Before he could even consider the idea, Robin's other voice spoke. 'You fool. Did you forget what happened the last time you were two were alone?'

Robin pulled the hems of his robe closer to his body, shuddering at the slimy memory. Every excuse the black-hair man tried to used, his brain immediately pointed out the cons. Perhaps one of the setbacks for having an analytical mind was the inability to lie to one's self.

'Perhaps after Emmeryn is safe, I-maybe…try to found the time…' Robin's shoulders heaved in defeat before diverting his attention back to the road ahead.

'…Coward.'

Sensing the tactician's gaze focus elsewhere, Lissa heaved a quiet sigh. Since their hasty departure from the capital, Robin had taken it upon himself to ensure the Shepherd's mission succeed flawlessly. Having assumed a new responsibility to his ruthless schedule, Robin was left with almost no personal time. Though she was glad her friend had taken their promise to care for his body seriously, Lissa couldn't help but feel disappointed. Normally while on the road with the Shepherds, the young princess found ways to chat with Robin. But in their current expedition, Lissa had yet to find an opportunity. It felt as if the black-hair man formed a wall and deliberately avoid her. In fact, the two had barely exchanged a word since the skirmish at the palace. And the worst part of all…Robin's apparent intimacy with another woman.

Every Shepherd saved for her brother and Robin knew the clumsy pegasus knight had a serious crush for the 'Captain.' But even Lissa knew one fact would always remain true: love can change a girl. During and after the Shepherd's countryside patrol, Lissa noticed the female Shepherds behaving differently when around the tactician. Even Sully would let her guards down, occasionally chatting and laughing up a storm with Robin.

The blonde cleric admitted her friend was special in a lovable way. He was own person, able to freely pursue any woman of his liking. But yet, every time she watched Robin interact with a member of the opposition sex, where he's oblivious to their feelings, the young princess could feel an uncomfortable swelling in her chest. It was…irritating.

"How could you still defend such a barbaric womanizing craven?!" Maribelle's disbelief voice rang in her tent as the blonde noble poured her friend a cup of elderberry tea.

"Maybe it was an accident." Lissa mumbled, her tired eyes watched the steam rising from her rose décor tea cup on a matching saucer resting on her lap. "I mean, you know how Sumia is…."

"My dear, it doesn't change the fact he dares see another woman behind your back." Maribelle pouted before sipping from her own cup.

Lissa's face immediately turns red as she began to choke, understanding the meaning between her friend's words. Doing her best to settle her tea cup on the table, the princess looked to Maribelle. "Wha-?! N-no he's not-"

"Lissa…" Maribelle offered her friend a handkerchief, grinding her teeth in an unladylike manner. "The men of this camp have never caught your attention. Even your old crush on Frederick did not last a substantial period of time."

The blond princess shuffled uncomfortable in her seat as she remembered her childhood days. Indeed, she had once fancied the great knight that is until she discovered his extreme serious behavior and fanatic-like devotion to her family.

A deep sigh escaped the blonde troubadour's lips before she continued. "Yet, as of late, our lovely tea session discussions have been about…'him."

"He does have some likeable traits…" Lissa's eyes lost their focus, replaying Robin's voice and memories of his awkward thrashing when she pranked him. Then, she remembered taking the slim warm hand into her grasp while guiding him around Ylisse. Lissa couldn't help but feel her cheeks tug to smile.

"You're making that face again." Maribelle huffed, pouring herself a new round of hot tea.

"Huh? What face?" Lissa innocently asked, tilting her head slightly to the side in curiosity.

"Adorable as you may be," Maribelle giggled before her face contorted into a frown, "that dreamy gaze seems only reserved when you think of him. Honestly, I'm a bit envious."

"Ehh, I never noticed." the blonde princess chuckled before sipping her warm tea.

When the chorus of crickets began chirping in the moonlight evening, the two ended their tea session to turn in for the night. Lissa's hand barely peeled away her friend's tent flap when she heard an incoming wave of chatter and footsteps returning from the direction of the mess tent. The temperature in her body drop, her stomach churned as one particular irritated voice spoke above the rest: Robin.

Before the Shepherd's secret mission was set in motion, a friend of House Ylisse called the Hierarch had tagged along with the group. Chrom explained to Robin that the man had helped Emmeryn during her early years as Exalt. From what he could tell, the tactician's expected the Hierarch to be an uptight noble with a similar attitude to Maribelle only much worse when dealing with low-born.

Upon meeting the Hierarch, Robin's impression was dead wrong. He was greeted by a bald middle age man sweating and trembling profusely. As the tactician eye's warily followed the Hierarch's skittering figure, his instinct screamed that the man was someone he could not trust. His suspicious were confirmed when only minutes passed before the tips of the rocky pass fluttered with the banners of Plegia's insignia.

"I knew it." Robin snarled, watching the Hierarch race to a distinct Plegian riding a wyvern at the middle of the pass.

"What are Plegian soldiers doing here?" Chrom brandished his sword in front of three Plegians who had emerged hidden behind large rocks.

The tactician's face turned in disgust as he watched the Plegian brought his polished axe on the trembling Hierarch. "It looks like we were betrayed."

"Take Emm out of here, Phila!" the young lord roared, the throaty hum from a horn was quickly followed by a crashing wave of bloodthirsty cries. "Everyone! Prepare for battle!"

'Mass air units, highly recommend archers and wind spells,' Robin mentally noted, his eyes watching the Plegian wyvern with his bodyguards fly further back into the pass.

The hours spent in front of his books and group mock battles had drastically improved his concentration and cognitive thinking. In short, he could change his strategy(s) or deploy multiple stratagems at a whim to fit the appropriate scenario.

"Range and support units, form into the center! Everyone else, hold the line!" Robin's voice boomed, the Shepherds scrambling quickly into position.

The first foe to reach the weaponized human wall was a squadron of wyvern rider. Unlike pegasus knights, wyvern riders were trickier to dispatch in close-combat due to their mount. With armored hide and razor sharp teeth, a lone soldier would likely die before he could even scratch the paired unit. However, the Shepherds were a group and led by a genius tactician who quickly demonstrated his prowess.

When a wyvern rider swooped with his axe raised, the tactician calmly unclasped a yellow tome hanging from his waist. Another perk of his studies: speed chanting. With a flick of his wrist, a bolt of electricity struck the ground, resulting in an explosion that startled the wyvern to a halt. A second later, a flash of gold and silver cut deeply across the rider's back. The mount watched in confusion before emitting a high-pitched shrill as a burst of magical wind pressed into the heavy scaly body before a series of snaps meant shattering bones.

As the enemy force continued to crash against the frontline, a battered Sumia returned to hear the sound of fighting. With a kick, the pegasus knight found pockets of battle scattered all over the pass.

"No…Where are they?" the pegasus knight wiped a sweat from her brow, desperately scanning the ground below for her friends. Sumia felt herself despairing until she recognized the tiny speck of blue hair and white cape racing through an open rock field.

"Captain!" Sumia yelled, watching Chrom leap and roar dispatching the last member of the wave of Plegian soldiers before turning to face her.

As she dismounted, she saw a repulsed Maribelle tightly bandaging Robin's exposed chest sitting on the trunk of a toppled tree. Hiding her blush, the pegasus knight shyly approached Chrom. Breaking her own record, Sumia manage two steps before falling head first with a nasty thud. Every allied unit nearby witness inwardly winced before the young lord rushed to help his fellow Shepherd back to her feet.

"Are you all right?" Chrom asked, chewing the insides of his lips as he noticed the red tips on her cheeks.

"I-I'm fine" the pegasus knight quietly squeaked. "But I came back with terrible news…"

"What is it?" the young lord grasped the side of Sumia's armored shoulder plate, his strength causing the metallic pieces to creak.

"There are more Plegians coming this way." the brunette sniffed, tears forming at the corner of her eyes. "I barely made it back b-but Captain Phila. She needs help our help… there were so many of them."

"But Emm's with her?! Damn it all!" Chrom growled, the situation had taken a turn for the worst.

'Got..to…do…something,' Robin tighten his hands into fists, wincing slightly as Maribelle began to use her staff to mend his wound. "Sumia…which direction did you come for?"

"Um…" Sumia did her best to calm herself down before answering. "S-south."

The black-hair male gripped his knees when he felt the wound across his back stitch itself together. Slowing rising to his feet to Maribelle's disapproval to rest, Robin put on his coat and grabbed a lying concoction. Without a word, he ran in the direction where Emmeryn and Phila were last seen.

"Chrom, take care of the front! I'll protect them!" The tactician yelled over his shoulder, figuring the Shepherds now had the initiative and need to hear their captain's inspiring voice.

"Wait, Robin!" Chrom raced after Robin, helplessly watching at his friend's battered figure growing smaller until he vanished underneath the veil of trees. "…Take care of them."

Robin eventually found the pegasus knight's captain by following the trail of bodies of her dead pursuers. Phila had minor scrapes but the biggest concern was a large claw gash on her side. The tactician could see she and her mount were visibly exhausted as the two flew slowly with an awkward jerkiness, lacking the usual grace and speed of flying mounted units. Two remaining wyvern riders hotly pursing the pair laughed gleefully while readying their axes. With a snap of his wrist, the tome pages rustled violently in Robin's palm before hurling an electrical bolt into the air.

One of Phila's pursuer felt a violent lurched before feeling the world spiral uncontrollably. Glancing at his screeching mount, his stomach churned as he saw a large hole through both of the thin-hide wing. Robin did not see the result of his handiwork as watched the thunder tome he had used since joining the Shepherd crumble to sand in his palm.

"Thank you." Phila hailed her savior, roughly guiding her mount to descend holding a dripping lance in hand.

"Where's Emmeryn?" the tactician's eyes darted at the quietness of the forest.

"I had the rest of my pegasus guards with the other Shepherds take her to safety while I held our pursuers off." Phila gasped just as she dismounted with a slight pale face. Wincing, she held onto her side before doubling over onto a tree.

"Hold on!" Robin rushed over to the injured pegasus knight, reaching for the concoction in his pocket.

Uncorking the tightly sealed bottle, the tactician's nose curled at the smell. All medicines he had learned reeked as if they were a pair of old boots, some even worse. As he watched the last drop of content slide down her throat, Phila quietly groaned as she felt her wounds begin to close.

"Taking on 20 wyvern rides by yourself seems reckless don't you think?" Robin chuckled as he helped the rejuvenated pegasus knight to her feet.

"Not as much as a lone injured man running to help an injured lass." Phila mumbled teasingly, glancing at Robin's bandaged chest.

As the two readied themselves to search for Emmeryn, the unmistakable flap of wings had them rushing behind trees with their weapons drawn in the direction of the noise. Slowly hovering away from them was a woman with fiery red hair mounted on a pegasus.

"Prince Chrom! Captain Phila!" the woman shouted, desperately looking the ground below for signs of life.

Phila squint her eyes to take a better look at the newcomer before gasping in horror. "Oh gods, is that Cordelia?!"

"Cordelia?" Robin looked the pegasus captain for answers before shooting a series of weak fire spell into the air.

"She's one of my knights. Young yet, but quite gifted." Phila smiled, her words said with pride. The air tensed when Phila grimace. "But she was stationed on the border….Could it mean…?"

"I'm afraid so." Robin gritted, shielding his eyes as Cordelia descend upon them.

Meanwhile

"Begone, foul miscreation!" a feminine voice echoed across the quieting battle field.

Seconds later, a wyvern and his rider howled as their bodies twisted in the air like ragdoll by a magical wind. Closing her tome, Miriel felt an axe brush past her ears as the weapon spiraled into to the right shoulder of a Plegian foot soldier.

"Good ol'Teachs got your back!" Vaike smirked, racing slam his feet into the groaning opponent before tugging his fallen axe out.

The scholarly mage adjusted her glasses as her eyes flickered in annoyance. "If your pretentiousness conception had a miscue in the amount of centripetal force generated, my erudition to uncover the secrets of humanity would be scrutinized based on your folly.

"Huh?!" Vaike frowned in confusion. "Lady, little thanks would be appreciated."

"A preposterous notion." Miriel coolly deflect the man's statement.

Without another word, the female mage began to walk away in apparent lack of interest with their conversation. A tiny smile crept along Miriel's face as she heard the blonde fighter call after her in pursuit.

Further ahead, a whirlwind of steel and sparks flew as Chrom and Frederick engaged in a vicious duel with the enemy captian. With a flap from the wyvern's scaly wings, the young lord skid away at the burst of kicking sand and wind.

"Give me the Fire Emblem and your wench of a ruler." the man who had killed the Hierarch laughed. When Chrom rolled out of the wyvern's snarling bite, he continued to taunt the young lord. "Oh, and spare yourselves a gory end!"

"I won't let you!" Chrom roared, gripped Falchion with both hands.

With a step forward, Chrom's cape fluttered from the twisting of his body. Seeing the prince's blade rising upward, the Plegian captian scowled while adjusting his mount to lean away. The two weapons rang and sparked as they collided with one another. The Plegian smirked as he used the momentum of an upward attack to take off in the air. As quickly as he soared, the man whistled to his mount for a nose dive. The wind became blinding as he accelerated back to earth at a terrifying speed. Within the last moment, the wyvern unfurled its wing to unleash a powerful gust that blinded Chrom.

"DIE!" the man grinned, bearing his axe down to split his foe in half.

"I think not!" Frederick rushed forward, responding with an attack of his own by jabbing his iron lance into the axe handle.

The axe glisten in the sun as it spun out of the man's hand. As it descent, the shiny axe head reflected the master's fury before a sickening splat painted its shining coating. With a pain cry, the wyvern collapsed motionlessly from the devastating gash at the armor-less under neck sending the man hurtling off its back.

"Guh…" the man groaned, lying on the rocky floor underneath a pool of his own life, the sting sensation from the long slash wound running down his shoulder to his waist. Watching the clouds float carelessly in the air, the dying Plegian Captain began to chuckle uncontrollably. "You doves think… killing me will change anything? Go on, dear exalted coward…Run!"

"What do you mean?" Chrom's eyes flashed dangerously, pointing his sword to the man.

Crawling himself to lean on his fallen mount, the man spat at the young lord's feet before smirking a red grin. "Even now…my brothers storm across your precious border."

"Is this a trick?" Frederick's pitiless eyes stared questionably at the dying Plegian captain.

"Flee while they slaughter your subject!" the man cackled until his breath became laborious. "Save yourself…Let their faith in you…bleed away…with the rest…"

And the man's eye stilled, letting out a haunting gasp at waning life.

"I must return to the capital" Emmeryn grimace, her eyes watch Cordelia crying her heart out with Sumia.

True to the dead Plegian captain's word, Plegia's entire military force had crossed over Ylisse's borders while the Shepherds were dealing with the ambush. Many skirmishes were reported to have broke out but the biggest tragedy of all was the pegasus knights stationed at the far north of Ylisse border. Of the three hundred personnel, only one returned alive.

"Your Grace, I cannot advise-"Phila began until her Exalt raised her hand in silence.

"If it's discovered I'm away when this news comes to light, people could panic or riot." Emmeryn looked to every man and woman present. "More Ylisseans could needlessly die…"

Closing her eye, Emmeryn sighed before approaching a drawn carriage and returned with a red chest outlined in gold with a unique lock.

Prickling her finger, the drops of blood force the chest to open with an ominous click. A rush of energy washed over the group as Emmeryn reached into the bottom of the chest and retrieved a small golden heater shield with five gem slots. Taking a white pearl kept in a tiny decorated gold box, she placed the gem into the top slot.

"Here, Chrom." Emmeryn's footsteps echoed as she approached her silent brother. "I entrust this to you."

"The Fire Emblem?" Chrom gingerly took the artifact into his hands, feeling its power hum as if it was a beating heart.

"No part of House Ylisse matters more than the Emblem. Too much blood has been shed over it already" the Exalt's remorseful face glimmer off the metallic surface. "I hope… it finds a better guardian in you than it did me."

"Emm…don't talk like that." Chrom stared back at his pained face on the Fire Emblem.

"The blood of the first exalt flows strong in us." Emmeryn's eyes twinkled as she pulled an openly crying Lissa into a tight embrace. "You and I will keep Ylisse safe. I believe it with all my heart."

"Walking to your own death will not bring peace to anyone!" Chrom pleaded. "Ylisse needs you…we need you… Be selfish for once in your life."

Shaking her head, Emmeryn gently let go of her younger sister and hugged her trembling brother. "…I love you, Chrom. Both you and Lissa mean everything to me."

As she felt Lissa hug her from behind, the Exalt felt hard to keep her voice steady. "Let us embrace again in Ylisstol when you arrive with Feroxi reinforcements…I know you will come."

"…This is a terrible idea" Chrom's voice cracked as a forming tear threatened to trickle down his face.

Upon breaking the hug, Emmeryn motioned to the standing pegasus knight. "Come, Phila…We must go".

Once Phila left to give her orders to her pegasus knights, Frederick stepped forward with a respectful bow. "I will keep the prince and princess safe, Your Grace. You have my word."

"I know you will, Frederick. Thank you." Emmeryn smiled.

When her eyes glanced over to Robin, the black-hair man bowed in kind. "I will do everything I can to ensure their safety…and thank you for placing your faith in me."

With a silent nod, Emmeryn turned to kiss her siblings on the forehead. "Safe journey, Chrom. Safe journey, Lissa."

Casting one final glance, the Exalt began to walk away, fighting the cloudiness in her eyes.

"Emm!" Chrom yelled, unconsciously stepping forward to stop his older sister.

He struggled desperately when Frederick and Robin held his shoulder back. Just as he broke free, Emmeryn's figure was only a tiny speck as she flew off on Phila's pegasus.

"….Stay safe." Chrom internally prayed to the gods to hear his pleas.

"Lissa?! Are you feeling all right?" Maribelle rushed over to her curling friend.

When Lissa did not answer, the blonde troubadour reached to pry the hands in front of friend's face. Staring back was a red faced Lissa.

"…No." the young princess squeaked.

"What on-?" Maribelle began until she heard the tactician's voice.

"I said we did not kiss." Robin growled, his flustered face shining under the moonlight. "What part do you guys not understand? And Gaius, put those books away!"

"Can't these brutes find the aptitude to squabble elsewhere?" Maribelle grumbled, watching the rambunctious exchange through the slit of her tent flap.

The troubadour's stared in irritation at the man responsible for her friend's plight lingering in place as the group of male Shepherds dispersed to their tents.

"…Are they gone?" Lissa's eyes stared at the tent flap upon hearing the chattering subside.

Maribelle watched Robin walk away sighing before turning back to her curled up friend. "They have now."

Without another word, the blonde princess slowly rose to her feet. As her hand reached for the tent flap again, a gentle hand clasped on her shoulder. Sighing, Lissa gazed into her worried friend's eyes.

"My dear…" Maribelle took the blonde cleric's hands into her own. "Why are you hiding from a beast like him?"

"I…don't know…" Lissa drift her gaze away, closing her eyes as a single answer came to mind.

Maribelle's soften her gaze as she quietly asked. "Do you… love him?"


	14. Author Note 1

**Author Note**

Hey guys!

I've just wanted to take the opportunity to thank you guys for all the supports I have received with this story. It truly has been a pleasure to do what I love and to share it with the rest of the world. As a result, I pondered to myself on what is the best way to convey what I am trying to say.

Well, after thinking long and hard, I have decided to create this note to give you guys two things:

One, a deeper insight on characters in this universe of Fire Emblem: Awakening.

Two, questions presented by you guys that I haven't addressed.

Let's begin!

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><p><strong>1) What is Robin's profile?<strong>

Birthday: April 8

Blood Type: A

Height: _**174 cm **_or _**5ft and 8 ½ inches**_

Likes: Bear meat, sweets, novels

Dislikes: Cold weather, cockroaches, hard liquor

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><p><strong>2) Why is the story in third person POV rather than first person POV?<strong>

-I've scoured through a lot of fanfics throughout the web which some sources include deviantart and fanfiction. Having read both forms of story styles, I have concluded that I find third person the most enjoyable. As a result, I chose to write "The Sword of the Frog Princess" in such format.

My main reason being is that the characters I want present are the ones living their lives, no one else. As it may sound contradictory as I control the events that occur around them, how they react in response is what drew me to this style.

Admittedly, a first person point of view is an experience that is equally thrilling and personal. However, I felt a disconnection upon finishing, leaving me in a state of discontent with the life style I currently have.

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><p><strong>3) Is the cover image shown the Robin used for this fiction?<strong>

-Yes! This Robin was actually inspired by fan art I came across while surfing the web. My first MU also married Lissa but had a different build and was much taller. To give you an idea how tall is Game MU, Lissa's height barely reaches the tip of Frog Princess's Robin's chin!

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><p><strong>4) Any plans for a spin off?<strong>

-As of now, I have no intention to write a spin off as to avoid confusing myself. That does not mean however, I've ruled it out. You could 'accidently' see it in the later future.

* * *

><p><strong>5) What is Robin's fetish(s)?<strong>

-Legs….NEXT QUESTION!

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><p><strong>6) Why does this fiction seem unoriginal?<strong>

-When I began writing 'Sword of the Frog Princess', I actually had a goal in mind: **to be memorable. **

Even after going through Lunatic+ mode, my first play through stuck out to me because I had my Shepherds marry based on personality, not statistics. As soon as I began to play "Strongest character builder", the story became forgettable. To avoid falling into the trap that sucked the fun out of the game for me, I began to explore the support conversations.

One conversation that stuck out to me was when Nah asked her father how he met mother. Thinking back, I actually laugh at how three normal conversations could lead up to a confession of love and proposal. Even worse is how Chrom will propose to a woman…that he just met. So the idea came to me.

"What if I could explore the hurdles a couple had to endure before the fateful fourth conversation?"

So when a reader picks up 'Sword of the Frog Princess' and realize the storyline is the same to the game, it is based on it. The only difference is that how I imagine events around them influence the meetings and conversations shared by the couple.

* * *

><p><strong>7) Any OTP?<strong>

-No, I don't believe in OTP. If you have no idea what the acronym stands for, "One True Pairing."

* * *

><p><strong>8) Give us a random saying!<strong>

-Get that b*tch a cannon. B*tches love cannons.

* * *

><p><strong>9) Of all the children in Awakening, who is your favorite?<strong>

-It would have to be Brady. My biggest reason is the way he openly presents himself. Unlike his mother, his look and manner of speaking has him seem more like a thug than a noble. Ironically, his mother's support conversation with the tactician had him teach her the talk of commoners which in itself foreshadow something deeper. Despite his flaws, he cares greatly for others, especially his mother. The violin play is also a small bonus since I love classical music.


	15. Chapter 12: Fate Beckons

_**The Shepherds have finally reached the border of Regna Ferox but the flames of war burns faster than anticipated. With their mission compromise, Emmeryn returns to the capital but not without gifting her brother Ylisse's most sacred treasure: the Fire Emblem. Bloodied and exhausted, the group treks onward but unbeknownst in their ranks, the red strings of fate begin to weave.**_

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><p><span><strong>Chapter 12: Fate Beckons<strong>

Luck.

The greatest foe to a man of logic. Break a mirror, seven years bad luck. Sleep on a table, also bad luck. An angry prince, a lifetime's worth. Even while living in a chaotic encampment, the Shepherd's tactician known as Robin could juggle several strategies with different scenarios for each of them in his mind while sparring or reading a scholarly text. But the man's concentration for the past few hours was focused elsewhere. If only his cheek was in so much pai-

"OW!" Robin's mind snapped back to reality as the sharp tip of polished nails poked his bruised cheek. "Watch it woman!"

"Woops." a feminine voice giggled.

Casually sitting in the carriage across from the tactician with a healing staff in hand was Anna, the red haired 'thief' (merchant.) Like most of the Shepherds, the black-hair man would avoid making a deal with the she-devil. But in Robin's case, he simply could not think of any alternative for the pain in his cheek was just one of many issues dwelling in his mind.

The first issue was related to Ylisse's state in the war. When the classified escort mission failed because of the Hierarch's betrayal, Lissa and Chrom were sent without their sister to the Khan's Palace to safeguard the Fire Emblem, a powerful artifact out of the Mad King's reach. Following the three day exile, scouts from both Khans were busy flooding Robin's desk with reports on the situation across the war front. A majority of the fighting were spread out across the northeast side of Ylisse. The brunt of these battles ended with Plegia withdrawing her forces but the price for victory was high. For every dead Plegian soldier, the number of dead Ylisseans continued to mount averaging a two to one ratio.

To the tactician, the number of victories Ylisse was able to muster was a complete surprise. Cynical as the fact sounded, his friend's country was heavily demilitarized when Emmeryn ascended the throne and rejected her late father's ideology of religious purging in pursuit of a peaceful solution. As a result, the bulk of Ylisse's 'army' consisting of pegasus knights, clerics, war monks, and knights when combined barely added up a fifth of the size to Plegia's confirmed sixty thousand strong.

However, Robin's biggest concern was the event soon to occur within Plegia's capital. When the Shepherd were busily recovering from their forced retreat at Breakneck Pass, they were relieved at Flavia's announcement of the final preparations in mobilizing Feroxi's force. The cheerful atmosphere died immediately when Khan Basilio personally delivered his scout's latest report. A nightmare come true, the Mad King and his forces broke through Ylisse defenses and sacked Ylisstol. Embracing his deranged title, Gangrel declared his intention to publicly execute the captured Exalt within the moon just before retreating across the border. Since then, the Shepherds had been marching at an exhausting pace in a bidding race against time.

To keep good on his promise with the Exalt by stopping Chrom from storming the field, Robin volunteered to create rescue plans. With failure meaning death not only to Emmeryn and the Shepherds but to all of Ylisse, the black-hair tactician spent every sunrise and sundown toiling in his tent to formulate the perfect answer to the biggest challenge of his career.

"You wouldn't mind telling a pretty girl how someone like you get an injury like that while in camp?" The red hair woman tucked her right hand under her chin. "We haven't fought any Risen or bandits and you've hardly left your tent to do business. Say w-"

"Anna please…" Robin groaned, the pain in his cheek was returning with a stinging vengeance. "I can't believe I'm paying for this."

"You paid up front. I couldn't resist." The red hair merchant happily pat the slumped coin pouch tied to her belt.

When the red hair woman joined the Shepherds, she had brought her own carriage stocked with goods and weapons. However, the price rates the she-devil charged for her services left many pouches emptier than a hungry soldier's plate.

"I know you dislike me but to come to me? You must have done something awful to our healers." Anna grinned deviously while scooting closer to her patient.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." Robin stuttered. Tugging the edge of his hood closer to his head, the tactician stood up. "If you'll excuse me, I'm leaving."

"You're forgetting that you're talking to an expert in lying." Anna playfully twisted her side curl. "I'm talking about our dear princess, Lissa."

Robin stiffened as the words struck a nerve. Giggling at the response, the she-devil continued. "To think a bookworm could steal her lips, how sly?"

"Sh-shush!" The black-hair man's hand covered Anna's lips. "How did y-?"

"Look, my love for money will always be number one." Anna moved her patient's slim fingers away from her lips. "The second is gaining favors through dirty, dirty, dirty secrets." The red haired woman emphasized the last part with a sinister wink.

"Oh gods, kill me now…" Robin groaned, covering his beet-red face.

* * *

><p>Tiny silhouettes under the forest shade leaped for their lives as two large figures panted heavily after them. The smaller of the two figures dived headfirst into the thin grass right before the silhouette could disappear from sight.<p>

"I got it!" Lissa cheered, rising to her feet with her thin gloved fingers clamped securely around the midsection of a squirming frog.

Standing to the side with a big grin and covered bucket in hand was Robin. When news of her sister's pending execution was brought up during the meeting with Khan Basilio, Lissa fainted in shock. Upon waking up, she was brief of the Shepherd's current plan and told numerous version of how the tactician 'daringly raced to catch his maiden.'

With her best friend work himself to near death, the princess boldly entered the tent of the man of question offering an apology for her past pranks. However, Robin immediately recognized an underlying ulterior motive and cleverly responded with a prank of his own. What the tactician did not account for was the effort Lissa put into her surprise frog handshake. Capturing at least a ponds worth of the amphibious critters alone was truly a miraculous and worthless effort for a prank.

"Hey." Lissa's shoulder gently nudged Robin. "Do you remember the direction of the pond?"

"…Yeah." The tactician set the wet cloth over the bucket, his senses flashed at impending danger. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason." The blonde cleric cheekily smiled.

The duo walked in relative silence with the occasional croak until they reached the pond. Setting the bucket underneath the tree shade while still close to the body of water, Robin and Lissa tossed their tiny friends into the water one by one.

"...This reminds me of a story I read a while back at Donnel's village." Robin chuckled, tossing a baby-sized frog into the water with a light splash.

"And what's that?" Lissa faced her friend, chucking a rather fat frog which flail wildly in the air.

"It's about a princess and a frog." Robin smiled when Lissa thought for a moment before realizing what her friend's reference.

"I am not kissing a frog!" Lissa huffed.

"Just teasing." Robin offered a smug grin. Slowly the princess's pouting failed to hold until she burst into laughter.

"If only time stayed like this." Lissa wiped a stray tear from the corner of eyes.

Robin nodded. "Yeah. This would be the life."

The blonde princess stared at her male companion with a heavy heart. Every member were dealing with troubles of their own as the dunes of Plegia could be seen within a day walk. Robin carried the biggest burden as his responsibility extend from planning their strategy to securing Ylisse's welfare. The heavy bag under the tactician's eye were proof of his diligence towards his work.

The young cleric wanted to play a more active role than her mediocre healing and subpar combat experience. She wondered if Robin was spouting hot air on the importance of healers. Since the addition of Cordelia, the tactician had been working extensively with the combatants running live combat simulations twice per day while she and Maribelle have been gathering herbs to mix for healing salves.

"How's your training with Frederick? I heard you're picking up the lance now." Robin scratched the side of his head. To his annoyance, a dragonfly hovered in front of his nose before brushing away. Lissa pressed her lips, directing her gaze to her friend.

"I'm getting the hang of it." The blonde cleric sighed. "Though, it's really tough on my body."

"…How about a shoulder massage?" Robin stifled a giggle.

Lissa's unamused glare was the final straw the black-hair male need to break down into laughter. After a while, Robin's smile fell and directed his attention to the buzzing pond. It came to him that nearly everyone in the group was in their mid-late teens. However, because of the current peril, they were forced to bear arms and rapidly mature to secure their future. They had left behind everything to embark on their journey and didn't know if they would return alive. The very thought made Robin shiver.

It was his word that sent life into the void.

When the pond rippled from a fish leaping in the air, the black-hair male watched from the corner of his eyes Lissa absentmindedly making circles in the wet dirt with a broken tree branch. Of course she would be afraid. She was the youngest Shepherd and her family, home, and dreams were all but a sword away from being torched.

'Perhaps I've been insensitive.' He frowned, his thought returning to some of the inner angst his friends shared in their private conversations.

"Robin?" Lissa pulled her knees close to her chest, resting her crossed arms in thought. "Can you promise me you'll save my big sis?"

The tactician hesitated to answer. He did not have a clear answer for too many unknown variables could enter the equation. All of his plans were examined over many sleepless nights but a dark feeling constantly gnawed at his gut instinct. "…Lissa. I-"

'This is a bad idea.' Robin's conscious shook its head. 'A false hope will destroy her trust if she learns you have doubts.'

'For once, I agree with my other side.' The black-hair male's other conscious echoed. 'We're only telling you this because you can endanger us.'

'Both of you shut up!' Robin growled. 'They're all I have left. If I don't tell them we have a fighting chance, we might as well be stepping into our graves.'

'Yes, I know it's risky but what hasn't been since our awakening?' The two conscious remained quiet as he continued. 'We have to believe. Believe that no matter what comes our way, we stand by everyone until the day we succeed or die trying.'

'Fool. You're not doing this for everyone. That pride of yours will cost you.' Both voices lingered until the tactician's conscious fade back to the pond.

"…Yes, I give you my word."

Lissa released a heavy sigh, closing her emerald eyes in silent prayer. As she opened them, Robin felt his breath caught in the back of his throat, those eyes that glittered with joy.

"Thanks Robin. Even if I can't fight well, knowing we can make it time is just…" The blonde cleric rubbed a tear of happiness trailing down her cheek.

Much to her surprise, Lissa flushed at the long arms hugging her. Through each short breath, she could feel her friend slightly tremble. Her face softened, realizing her request was selfish and terrifying. But Robin was willing to help even if it meant sacrificing their time spent together. Their hug felt like it would last for hours until another fish leaped into the air. The princess and tactician slowly part from each other's grasp before laughing in embarrassment.

When the lunch bell rang across the forest, Robin helped Lissa to her feet. The blonde princess groaned, stretching her sleepy arms out but she didn't feel tired. Her cheeks hurt from the grin etched on her lips but it was worth the discomfort. Unfortunately, she didn't realize Robin was slightly wobbly in his step. Following their rise, the moment the tactician's started to move, a numbing electrical surge raced through his left leg.

'Crap. It's asleep. I'm going to-' Robin yelped, his eyes bulge as gravity made him stumble wildly. "Lissa! Watch out."

"Wha-" the young cleric barely reacted in time to stop herself from being dragged alongside her friend by the arm. The two spun around until the black-hair male roughly slammed his palm into a tree and grinded the heel of his boots into the grass barely touching the pond edge.

"Ah..." Lissa shook the dizziness spinning in her head before realizing her nose constantly was brushing against something. Her breath hitched seeing Robin's face up close. Judging from his closed eye, he was still affected by their spinning.

The blonde princess felt her cheeks flare when Robin's gaze fell upon her.

'Ah. I can feel his breath.' Unconsciously, Lissa had placed her finger-less gloved hands to her friend's shoulder and lips. To her surprise, the black-hair male also sported a heavy blush, his brown eyes flickering back in forth in confusion. Yet, he remained in place, his lips parted slightly like a gaping fish.

"R-Robin?!" The tactician felt his gut drop at the familiar deep voice, slowly twisting his head behind.

"Chrom?!" Lissa gently push aside Robin's arm to see her brother. Standing in complete shock in the middle of the dusty road was Gaius, Chrom, and Frederick.

"You…" The young lord suddenly dropped his fishing rod and marched slowly towards the black-hair male.

"This isn't what you think!" Robin furiously waved his hand, cowering at the murderous aura emitting from his friend. The only thing he could remember before blacking out was feeling the world spin before slamming headfirst into grass ground.

* * *

><p>The Plegia Desert was hot. It was terrible. It was hell. These were the words glued to the roof of the Shepherd's parched lips. The only person unaffected by the heat was Robin. Originally, he had no idea why he was attached to his black purple-highlighted robe but the marching in the sun made him appreciate his clothing even more. The tactician gave his praise to whoever designed the robe. Whatever the woven fabric was made from, it was light to allow room to breathe while maintaining a weather-proof form.<p>

For miles on end, sand and dunes were the only visible objects the Shepherds could see in the sweltering arid heat wave. They were fortunate enough to stop at a nearby village to prepare for the trip but many secretly wished to trade places with the boring forest they left behind hours ago. Having crossed the border without trouble, Robin was amongst the few combatants marching on foot. In his hand, the black-hair man studied the map bought in their resupply to locate the nearest town. Fighting a bandit group at their current strength would be a breeze. However, the threat of running out of water was very real with nearly a sixth of their supply already drained by the mounts in their inventory.

"AUGH! GET AWAY!" a high pitched voice eerily screamed.

"What was that?" Chrom's hand immediately pulled Falchion out from his waist holster.

The sound of carriage flaps vibrated along the marching line for the voice gave them something to vent their energy on besides their mundane search.

Robin stiffened when his sixth sense flared wildly. In the distance, over thirty people emerging from the sandy dunes to their side and front were converging towards a certain point.

"Milord, our scouts report some manner of engagement downfield." Frederick tugged the rein of his horse to halt in front of Chrom.

While the marching line tighten the leather straps around their arm and leg pieces, the great knight offered wise words in their emergency strategy meeting. Because they were fighting on unfamiliar terrain, every precaution was taken to ensure success. The movement of heavy infantry and mounts were greatly hindered by the shifting sand meaning lighter units like mages and flying units were the most effective in the current situation.

Fortunately, Robin was given enough time to observe the enemy's movement and nearby terrains. The marching line was following a dried grass path allowing fair mobility to even their armored units. As long as they stuck to the path, their heavy units could partake in the fighting. Protecting their side from flank attacks were a trio of enormous rocks granting the Shepherds a stronger point of defense. In the distance, the skeletal head of an apparently enormous beast rest in an oasis gave them a secondary objective to fight over.

"Shepherds! Move out!" Chrom thrust his sword in the air, the fighting spirit of his force practically burning hotter than the noon sun.

Further ahead, a tiny figure panted heavily as she ran and barreled across the dunes.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Over a year ago, I published "The Sword of the Frog Princess" to the world. The number of readers had surpassed my expectations and the critics I have received helped the two of us grow. In a way, I found a new family within this site. For a while, everything was great but my love for the community was finally to the test. On the 16th of April 2014, two irreplaceable members of my family passed away when their ferry capsized off the coast of South Korea. <strong>_

_**It has been impossible to write this particular chapter when tragedy strikes so close to home. Even if this isn't the first time I lost someone close to me, there is always the void they leave behind. In the end, the best we could do is tread onward. **_

_**For the past few months, I have received your condolences and words of sympathy through your comments and private messages. To hear your voice of concern has given me strength and reasons to come back and resume writing. It may seem redundant but all I can say is this.**_

_**Thank you.**_


	16. Chapter 13: Lies of the Sand

_**Leaving the confines of the summer palace, Chrom and co. embark on a treacherous journey through the dunes of Plegia. Their mission: sneak into the enemy capital and stop the execution of the Exalt. Time is limited and exhaustion has become their worst enemy. To make matters worse, relations amongst colleagues have only begun to unveil new tension.**_

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><p><strong>Chapter 13: Lies of the Sand<strong>

"Move it!"

"Healer! We need a healer!"

"Enemy reinforcement!"

"Take cover!"

In the midst of exchanged magic bolts, three men stumbled over themselves as they dived over a large steep sand dune. A second later, the body of a limp horse smashed sideways into the crown of a dune scattering the mounds back into the desert. Within the past five intense minutes of fighting, the surrounding landscape had virtually become unrecognizable due to a number of hills off the arid grass road that vanished.

The ground was literally burning from the scattered flames licking its surface; certain parts of the shifting earth had long been become shiny and tempered into glass. The air rattled from an ear-splitting roar emanating from a beak snout maw. The beast stood twice as tall as an adult male, her skin protected by overlapping tan scales with parts of its body and eyes glowing light teal. With two transparent kelp-like wings, allies and foes couldn't help but stand in awe.

"What in blazes?! The girl is a dragon!" Robin unclamped his palm over his ears; his squinted eyes offer subpar protection from the glaring sun and gusting flaps from the descending perpetrator.

'Hmph. I think I can see why these guys want her.' The black-hair male instinctively raised his arms over his head. He like many others braced for impact when a hill of sand larger than a horse carriage to his right vanished under another bolt of blasting pale blue fire a few meters away.

The dragon, or Manakete, Robin learned from Chrom was the species' name. During the chaos, he had lost sight of the young lord when the Manakete began wildly unleashing her breath. The Manakete at the center of attention was actually a little impish girl. The earlier scream had made the entire situation unavoidable especially when it came to his friend's helpful nature.

Despite being shorter than Ricken, she was easy to spot when she ran across and fell facefirst on their marching route. The reason of her frightened state was cleared the moment a gruff looking aged man with short spiky orange hair outfitted in light armor covering his legs and right shoulder cautiously approached her with a drawn sword. Though wary at first, Chrom was reluctant to fight alongside the girl's pursuer once the latter proved he wasn't a threat.

"Robin!" Cordelia hovered above the black-hair male who was in the midst of shouting orders. "I have the coordinates."

"Good! Cordelia, you're with me." The tactician grasped his thunder tome, extending his palm alongside Ricken and Miriel in the direction of several enemy soldiers and mages emerging behind the cover of a house-sized mound. "Ricken! Miriel! Now!"

'_Ardor!'_

'_Elwind!'_

'_Tonitura!' _

Robin waited until the fire and wind spells were above the approaching enemy reinforcement. Seeing a bright flash, the black-hair male hurled his thunder spell into the center of the implosion. Above the searing blast and thunderous clap, the flames fanned by the wind spell scattered everywhere in a ten meter radius. Ignoring the agonizing and bloodcurdling cries, the tactician secured himself on the pegasus knight's back saddle. With each heavy flap, the ground below grew smaller until the animated figures below looked like ants at his feet.

Despite, their advantageous positions around the desert plain, the young man was worried. In his morning debriefing, he had anticipated crossing paths with the Plegian Guards but their enemies were clearly organized, if not better, based on their uniforms and movements across the current battle.

"Cordelia, are the three villages secured?" Robin hollered over the racing wind, stifling his annoyance at the pegasus's knight long red hair constantly whipping his face.

"No, Sir Robin. I've only warned the village west of your location." Cordelia replied, slightly turned her head back before facing forward to resume her ground reconnaissance. "The scouts have confirmed the third village's location approximately 500 meters away south-east from here. Sumia sent me ahead to tell you this. She should be back arriving there soon."

"Just Robin is fine but thank you!" The tactician chuckled, his hooded robe snapping at the speed of their flight. His stomach dropped when he glanced down. He could safely assume their mount was probably soaring more than a couple hundred meters in the air. "We need to keep damages to a minimal. Even if they aren't Plegian Guards, we don't want Gangrel's scouts any chance to follow our trail."

The pair flew past the largest part of a gigantic trail set of bones what they assumed was the end tip of a dragon's tail. Robin shuddered at the thought. The destructive power behind the female dragon's attacks was still fresh in his mind. Just the impact alone was nothing to scoff at but that was nothing compared to the flame's intensity. Shaking his head, the young tactician perished all distractions from his mind. He had a job to see through.

After circling the air several times, Robin instantly recognized a fluttering white cape behind the back of a figure charging headfirst into a group of enemies. "I think I see Chrom."

Suddenly, his arms resting around the pegasus knight's upper waist deflate from a sharp intake of breath.

'Uh oh. Probably shouldn't have said that.' Robin groaned. When it came to others, he really was insensitive without limit.

When compared to the rest of male Shepherds, his friend was the undisputed favorite with the ladies. Complimented by his blunt honest, caring nature and skills with the blade, Robin couldn't blame the female Shepherds save for his sisters that tried to catch the young lord's attention at every point in their expedition. Plus, his status as prince only made even more appealing and irresistible. Robin knew only Maribelle, Sully, Cordelia, and even Sumia had eyes on his friend. The red-hair pegasus knight had the worst case of admiration when-

"Cordelia! Incoming!" Robin gestured to a rising fire ball aimed at them.

The pegasus knight immediately shook her head and roughly pulled her mount a steep right narrowly avoiding the flames burn a hole in her mount's feathered wings.

"Ah, sorry. I wasn't-" Cordelia guided her mount back to a neutral state until several glints reflected off the corner of her eyes. "Damn it!"

"Keep your eyes open." The tactician barked, the skyline quickly littered with smoke and exploding bolts of flames.

Robin wasn't surprised the surrounding zone further down their intended route was littered with a greater number of craters and fallen bodies. "Once Sumia rendezvous here at my signal flare, both of you grab someone to pair up with. Your objective is to disrupt reinforcements from arriving."

Receiving an acknowledging nod, the pair drew close enough to spectate Chrom embroiled in a duel. After Falchion knocked the iron sword above the myrmidon's head, the blue-hair lord followed with a downward slash. Everything from the myrmidon's gear to his skin met little resistance as they were cleaved in half. Quickly racing to young lord exhausted form was Frederick and the mercenary.

"Cordelia. I'm getting off. Brace yourself!" Robin released his grasp on her waist and swung his legs over to the mount's side.

"Robin, that's crazy. Let me lower the drop at least." The red-hair pegasus knight jerked her head around in panic. Snapping the rein of her mount, the tactician's stomach lurched when they bulleted towards the ground. Taking several deep breaths, Robin exhaled one more time and tapped the shoulder of his rider.

"This is good enough. Thanks!" Robin saluted before sliding off his ride, the wind drowning out the pegasus knight's voice. With each passing second, his view on the ground drew closer. The thought of landing wrong and dying didn't cross his mind. Instead, a livid sensation coursed through his body. With a smile, the tactician spread his arm into a free fall.

'You are insane!' The conscious in the black-hair male's mind cried out in panic. 'You'll kill us.'

"Shut up! I got a plan." The tactician growled, his hand reaching for a green cover tome buckled in his satchel.

'Oh, a wind tome. This should be fun.' One of his conscious chuckled. From the sensation alone, the black-hair could almost feel a sadistic smile across its face.

'Grah! I'm out of here,' the other conscious wailed.

The sound of clattering armor and ringing steel was refreshing to Robin as he steadied his wind spell in hand. He didn't know who saw him falling from the sky but he could feel nearly every pair of eyes was directed towards his descent. Some people covered their face the moment wind spells began raining down on them. When a cavalier realized the magic bolts were littered around him, he looked up too late to see a palm casted a wind spell point blank to his face. The air ruptured with a wet splat followed by the figure being launched and smashing backwards through a mound before tumbling several feet away from his kill.

"Crap. Lissa's going to kill me." Robin ignored the numbing bruises pulsating throughout his body, grasping his quacking left knee to stand. Shepherds and foe alike remained in place with their mouth agape in shock at the black-hair male's dramatic appearance. In the blink of an eye, he snapped to his feet and the rush of air trailed behind his shadow with sword in hand. By the time, the tactician stopped, he was already thrusting at a confused shrewd hunched man guarded behind three mymordians.

"GRAH!" A mymordian roared upon breaking his dazed state, throwing his light-armored body in front of the piercing steel at the last second.

"Move it!" Robin effortlessly tugged his sword out of the fallen enemy's chest. Sensing multiple attacks coming towards him, the tactician swung his entire body a couple inches to his right quickly followed by two back steps. Adjusting his sword's edge leveled to his waist with a tome in his free hand, the black-hair male narrowly avoided the tip of an iron lance aimed for his head and swords attempting to hack him to pieces. When the cavalier brought his horse upward to intimidating height, Robin felt a surge of energy course in his arms and legs.

"You're going to pay for that!" A mymordian propelled forward, ignoring his comrade's demand to stop.

"Robin?!" Chrom caught a glimpse of the familiar hooded robe hacking and slashing wildly at five other men who had encircled his friend.

Robin sheathed his sword, taking a deep breath before stepping forth in a practiced motion. From the click and cutting air, the unlucky mymordian fell backwards at a blinding drawn slash etching a bone deep gashing wound from the waist to his armored head brow. What unsettled the young lord the most was the batter and cut form while an icy smile was plastered across his friend's lips.

"Milord. We have to take the initiative!" Frederick snapped the rein of his armored horse, trampling opposing bystanders without a hint of remorse. With a twirl of his silver lance, he used the lance's tipped flat edge to break the right side helmet of an axe-man.

"Oh, he's good." The mercenary glanced up after cutting a mage down in half.

"Master Chalard. We can't stop him! He's too strong." The last remaining mymordian dropped his sword.

Like the few remaining survivors, they had witnessed their cavalier singlehandedly taken down from atop his horse. Despite having lost all sensation in his left leg, Robin leaped forward with his sword arm and miraculously caught his opponent by the neck. Growling, the tactician dropped his blade weapon and tightened his hold by slinging over his left hand into a vice. After what seemed like an eternity, the cracking noise of bones popping resonated clearly across the battle field.

"Come on." Robin cackled while dragging the limp body of his challenger, his dilated pupils rapidly glancing between the terrified faces of his next potential prey.

While some people shuffled away, only the shrewd man remained still. With a cruel thin-lipped smirk, he reached the inside of his over-sized robe sleeves. With a rippled snap, the pages of a ghastly purple cover tome began glowing in his callous hand. Once the gathering number of circular sigils revolved around his palm, Chalard faced his bodyguard. "No matter, Master Grima will take your life force."

Robin jolted in surprised at the inhuman shrieks that followed. The Shepherds and mercenary face's darken and contorted in anger at the shriveled body and visible tethers attached to the caster.

"You!" Chrom roared, ignoring his great knight's heed of caution to face the commander of their enemy.

"Ha ha! You dare defy Grima, god of annihilation?" Chalard ducked under Falchion's swing aimed at his chest followed by a nearby mage sending a wind bolt to Robin. Despite blocking with the blade's edge, the black-hair male hurriedly planted his sword into the ground to no avail, rolling backwards a couple feet away.

"Robin! Chrom yelled over his shoulder, bring his sword up to his eye level.

"I'm fine!" Robin struggled to rise after falling on his back, spluttering whatever sand he accidently got into his mouth. "Watch yourself!"

"Wha-Never mind!" the blue-hair lord momentarily stared at his dazed friend only to pause and shake his head. Directing his attention back to Chalard, Chrom's boots kicked his exhausted body into a run, Falchion clutched with both hands with its edge directed parallel to the sand.

"Foolish boy. Master Grima will-" The shrewd man extended his palm but a distant whistling sound behind him diverted his concentration elsewhere.

Frederick and Robin braced themselves at two figures diving towards them bringing along a choking blast of wind.

"Chrom! Robin!" Sumia pulled the rein of her Pegasus, soaring past the pair low enough for Lon'qu to drop into the fight.

Upon making landfall, the silent swordsman quickly rolled and tackled a nearby mage and brought the butt of his sheathed sword onto his downed foe's skull. "Chrom!"

"I got it!" The young lord growled, stopping and slashing across Chalard's chest. The shrewd man grunted in pain while clutching the inflicted mortal wound. With each pained retreating step, his eyes flashed back and forth to Chrom and Lon'qu before Robin's sword flew and impaled him fully through his gut.

"Master Grima...my life force...is yours..." Chalard muttered before feeling something soft gush over the sand beneath him. After a few short gasps leaving his pale lips, the shrewd man dropped to his knees and remained still.

* * *

><p>When the last obnoxious snore return with a vengeance, Robin's conscious fluttered back from the dead.<p>

'Where am I?' The black-hair male groggily cast his gaze down at the white cotton sheets draped over him.

Judging from the height difference of his cot to the tent's roof, he was in one of the larger tents back at camp narrowing down the possibility of his location.

'If I don't see a round or long table, I'm probably in the medical tent.'

Glancing over to his left side, rows of identical cots were neatly organized on each side of the tent that stretched further than the black-hair male expected. Unlike the rest of the encampment, the confined atmosphere was always warmer due to the healers constantly boiling water infused with blood-clotting herbs clattering somewhere in a pot. Shifting his head over to his right, Lon'qu was quietly sleeping crossed arms on a wooden chair to his side.

Upon trying to rise to sit up, a sharp electrifying pain tingled down his arms and left leg. "Gragh..."

"Oh no, you don't mister. You're staying right there." Lissa suddenly appeared to his unoccupied side pressing her gloved hand firmly on his bandaged chest.

Robin slightly parted his lips to voice his objection but stifled a relenting groan. Angering the healers was the last thing he wanted to go through again. Plopping his head back on his feather pillow, the tactician took a moment of silence to clear his mind and wonder why he was resting in the medical tent.

"Right, my cuts. Blood. Gah..." the black-hair male winced; his bandaged left leg throbbed uncontrollably when he tried to move it.

"You have a light concussion to the head, multiple fractures in both arms, a sprained ankle, and 64 cuts and bruises all over your body." Lissa paced back and forth before returning with fresh heated bandages and scissors on a tray.

Hearing her list all his injuries, Robin swallowed in a gulp. Once she circled around Lon'qu, the young cleric tapped her bodyguard's shoulder. "Hey, wake up."

"Hmph." Lon'qu grunted without stirring. "I'll be waiting outside."

The moment the silent swordsman stood up and pulled aside the tent flap, Chrom rushed over to Robin's bedside. Without a word, the young lord glared. The black-hair male sighed. His lecture was about to start. Being told-off twice within the same week seemed like a new record though the first lecture was the result of an accident.

"Robin. What happened to you?" Chrom asked, the fingers of his right hand jittered uncontrollably.

"Chrom..." Robin propped himself upright with Lissa's aid. "I know the jump was-"

"That's not it!" The young lord interrupted. "What were you thinking fighting like that?"

"Wait?! What do you mean?" The tactician slightly tilted his head, confused at the direction of the lecture.

Without a word, Chrom kicked back his chair and aimed the tip of Falchion at the black-hair male's throat. "No. Are you really Robin? Answer me!"

'Woah!' Robin panicked, scooting as far away from the pressed weapon

However, because of his current state, the black-hair male did his best to endure the aching sensation of agitating his bruises. Suddenly, Lissa push and struck Chrom across the face with her open palm, her older brother staggered slightly back in utter shock.

"Chrom! What is wrong with you? You shouldn't be shouting here." Lissa glared, clutching her emblazed hand.

"Milord! What's wrong? I heard yelling." Frederick passed through the tent entrance with Maribelle quickly following behind.

"Honestly, I-Apologies, Lord Chrom." The blonde noble lifted the hem of her troubadour uniform and slightly bow forward. "Robin, I've had high hopes our lessons could be successfully implemented in courtly affairs. Perhaps, I was asking too much for-"

Frederick politely coughed with a curled fist over his mouth to stop the ill-timed tirade. Without a word, the great knight hurriedly instructed Lon'qu waiting outside the tent to stand guard denying anyone access except to the ones already presented inside. Chrom closed his eyes and exhaled a few more deep breathes before facing Lissa and Robin.

"Forgive me of my previous outburst. I'm still rattled by what happened in today's battle." the blue-hair lord directed his gaze anywhere but the tactician.

"Ahem." Frederick interjected. "What milord and I are still trying to understanding is Robin's actions on the battlefield."

Lissa, Maribelle, and Robin looked bewildered as the great knight continued. "In other words, he-we have no idea if our tactician is the man he truly claims."

"Come now. I believed we have presented his unusual case and-"Maribelle frowned, walking over to her bosom friend's side.

Chrom massaged his furrowed brow. "You weren't there, Maribelle. If you saw what we saw, he wasn't acting like his usual self. His eyes...there was so much hate. He was just laughing and smiling. Is that something to do when killing someone?!"

"What?! Chrom that-" Robin choked on his breath, erupting into a violent coughing fit.

"Robin. Stop. You need to rest." Lissa gently nudged her friend. "Please."

The black-hair male shook his head. "I can't. I've been hiding something from everyone since our meeting at Southtown."

No one dared to move when the great knight immediately stepped between Chrom and the bed. "Now that your true color has been exposed, you think confessing will help or regain our trust?"

Robin shook his head again. "It's a bit difficult to describe. I-Argh. How do I explain this…"

"I think I can." Lon'qu peel aside the tent flap, slowly making his way towards the silent group gathered around the man of question. "Your body wants to fight but your mind denies it the opportunity."

"What do you mean?" The black-hair male asked, ignoring the drop of sweat dropping from his brow.

"Do you know what's going on with him?" Chrom asked. "Can it be fixed?"

The swordsman shook his head. "I do know but this is something no one healer nor I can fix."

Everyone in the medical tent listening to the harsh words felt a freezing shiver down their spine. Robin lowered his head, begging every homing gaze inevitably directed at him to look elsewhere. Perhaps, the mission was getting to him. Maybe he needed another way to release the impatient urge to beat his fist into something. There were too many questions but not enough given answers. It was just as hopeless like the nonsensical nightmares occasionally returning to his sleep.

"I could say you're nervous for the rescue but that isn't the reason." Lon'qu muttered, crossing his arms. "I remembered the first time we spared, but you weren't like the others. Your desire to win is terrifying just like that yearning within in you."

"You think it might have to do with the Grimleal?" Robin quietly asked, an uncomfortable churning raged in his chest.

'Why did their clothing look familiar? Why are they appearing now? Why?' His conscious pondered.

'I really don't know. Something about their actions today means we won't be seeing the last of them anytime soon.' The other conscious sighed. 'For now, we have to focus.'

'Tch, aren't you curious?' His conscious spat, fading to the back of his mind.

"No. While your desire to fight is admirable, allowing your inner-self to control you makes you more of a liability than asset." Lon'qu set his sheathed curved blade at the foot of Robin's cot. "But if you want me to fight on the frontlines again, you need to get a grip of yourself first."

"…He's right." Maribelle twirled her mini-parasol in hand. "An officer is someone who holds the lives of their soldiers under their guidance. If you do lack self-control, potentially, you can endanger everyone's livelihood. Don't forget Lord Chrom, my dear Lissa, and Lady Emmeryn are entrusted in your hands."

Robin sighed and crossed his arms. After a tense moment of silence, the tactician nodded.

"It's true. I want to win. I want to win so badly I'm willing to lose myself in the heat of the moment. This urge to kill is constantly at my fingertips since the moment I picked up the sword. I can make up excuses but I now realize the results of my selfish actions." Robin shut his eyelids, the cloudiness in his vision refusing to leave.

"What good am I when my own actions terrorizes and push away the ones who care and trusts me? You guys are all I have." The black-hair male bowed his head. "Please, everyone. I'm sorry…"

Not a single word was uttered in the minutes that passed. The only mercy he had left was the waiting in the suffocating tension lingering in the atmosphere. His fate was either dismissal or something possibly worse. Two hands clasped tightly on both of his shoulders, their insistent tugging pinged the black-hair male curiosity. Chrom's bright smile was the first face he saw followed while Frederick grunted, his face turned away with a tiny smile. Maribelle patted Lissa's back, the latter grinning while threatening to burst into tears at a moment's notice.

"Glad you're back with us." Chrom heartily chuckled. However, he was quickly gestured to quiet by the healers. "Right, this is the medical tent."

"That's right. While you are the prince, Lord Chrom, I must request you and your vassal to leave." Maribelle strutted forward and seized both men's arm. "Lissa dear, I leave everything to you."

Once the troubadour left with her escorts in tow, Lon'qu stepped forward. "Robin. Come see me at the sparring grounds once you're healed."

Receiving a nod from the black-hair male, the silent swordsman holstered his sword and left the pair alone. Robin groaned when the blonde cleric pressed her palm once more on his bandaged chest.

"You have to rest. It'll heal by tomorrow." Lissa mumbled, sitting on the excavated chair to his side. "If you're going to ask, Nowi and Gregor are doing fine. Supplies have been restocked and we'll be arriving to the capital within two days."

"You beat me to the punch." The black-hair male chuckled. He enjoyed the feeling of her tiny fingers brushing past his bandaged arms. His heart always stopped somehow when her palm found its way to his bare chest. "…Lissa."

"What is it?" the young princess briefly glanced up to Robin while cutting the old bandage away.

"I-Err. Where's my robe?" Robin winced at the puncture caused by the sharp tool cutting his bandaged arms.

"Oh gods. The first thing you worry about is your clothing." Lissa sighed. "You really are unbelievable."

"Well, not as much when it comes to you." Robin mumbled, directing his gaze elsewhere. When she grunted in confusion, the young male hurriedly shook his head. "Nothing. Just…thanks for defending me."

"…It's fine." Lissa set the roll of cloth bandage out of sight. "Can you at least keep your promise to stay safe?"

Robin took her gloved hand into his and flicked his pinky out like a worm. "I'm obligated to. We did swear on a pinky promise."

Despite laughing as quietly as they could, they earned the wrath of an agitated Miriel and Vaike. The pair was resting several cots on the opposite side from Robin's, a bandage forehead for the mage and multiple bandages across the chest and left hand. When the evening meal bell rang, Lissa excused herself promising to return with any food she could get her hands on. Even though it meant leaving the other on their own for a while, they couldn't help but smile on one thing: they looked out for their friends. And, they looked out for each other.


	17. Chapter 14: Wavering Hands

**_As the Shepherds near Plegia's capital, a more dangerous force has sudden arise from the dunes of the desert. Left with no other choice, Chrom and Robin have struggled to uphold their values without losing themselves in tides of war. Meanwhile, the tactician has come to grip with his inner darkness and must face it. If he fails, everyone is certain to die._**

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 14 – Wavering Hands<span>**

Everyday started so dull.

Rise from bed, stretch her limbs, work on a presentable look, and gather her medical belongings before heading over to the mess tent. However, the repeated yelling and grunting outside her tent over the past six minute was starting to annoy her.

"Ah, why is so noisy?" Lissa grumbled as she stomped towards the entrance of her tent. With a final loop and twist, her signature pigtails bobbed to the side when she parted her tent flap.

There were over two dozen conscripts pacing back and forth from the Supply and Armory Tent a few tents away carrying long wooden crates in pairs. The young princess wrinkled her nose and sneezed at the nipping air.

A few days beforehand, the Shepherds had stopped at a village right by the border of Plegia to pick up extra supplies and blankets via advice from the village elder. Maybe it was the heat or the lack of water in their system that made them ignorant and complacent to the numerous hidden dangers the desert carried. Their first evening stay nearly proved fatal when the nail-biting chill settled in. To conserve their scarce supplies while staying warm and evading the eyes of wandering bandit vagabonds or Plegian Guards, all light sources with the exception of campfires were temporary banned.

"Hey!" the blonde cleric extended her arm, stopping a pair of conscripts struggling to carry a beaten crate. It was securely wrapped in chains and a red tag with incomprehensible scribbling was placed over its front lock. "What's going on?"

"Good morning, milady." The conscripts quickly dropped their luggage with an obnoxious clatter, muttering breathless curses under their breath as they bowed.

"Additional supplies and rations requested from Sir Robin have just arrived. We've been ordered to move these remaining crates before resuming our march this noon. Please, excuse us."

Lissa pressed her lips as her gaze followed the departing conscripts. If there was one thing she could compare the current atmosphere in the camp to, it was a prison. The past two evening campfire gatherings were void of the usual laughter or exchanged gossips of the day. It seemed everyone including Frederick was struggling to hold back their irritation after marching under the dry sun the whole day.

"Wonder if Chrom and Robin are already there?" the blonde cleric spun on her heel, walking back into her tent for her staff before making her way over to the War Tent.

Compared to the other faculties, the War Tent was the easiest to find as it always located in the middle of the encampment. Added with a large overlaying square canopy and Brand of Naga woven into Ylisse color banners hanging next to its main and side entrances, hardly anyone could miss the eye-catching decoration.

To her surprise, all entrances normally left open for anyone who wanted to attend Robin's strategy meetings were closed. With a huff, Lissa brushed aside and stumbled into the shaded tent.

Every Shepherd except Sumia, Cordelia, Gaius, Virion, and Kellam were gathered around a large wooden table with a drawn map lying on its flat surface. Numerous wooden pieces and iron tacks were placed in various places to simulate their battle scenario if memory recalled. Robin's eyes flickered briefly at her arriving appearance before directing his finger over three small boxes within a cloud-like drawing slightly further north from the space written 'CAPITAL.'

"Our aerial reconnaissance reported this morning a number of wyvern strongholds along the mountain border pass. At this point, we can already expect reinforcements during our assault." The tactician rolled three tacks in his palm before placing them in an arrowhead formation behind the cluster of blue wooden pieces that represented them.

"Because we're fighting on unfamiliar grounds, the enemy will use that advantage and pressure us further into the capital." The black-hair male frowned, gesturing towards two squares at a narrow entrance in front of 'CAPITAL.' Lissa frowned, recognizing the square meant forts and the tacks over them meant they were occupied.

"Wait? Are you saying we're running a risk on being surrounded?" Chrom crossed his arms, biting the corner of his outer lip. "There has to be a different way."

"Milord, this should have been expected." Frederick grumbled. "As much as I cringe to say this, we've been fortunate to have Robin's insight in avoiding unnecessary fighting most of the way here. Now, our vigilance is paramount till we've rescued and flee with Lady Emmeryn away from Plegia."

"What about sending the rest of the Shepherds for this operation?" Sully grunted. "I mean, wouldn't this make the rescue easier?"

"A vacuous suggestion." Miriel nudged the side of her glasses' outer frame upward, the lens somehow reflecting within the enclosed tent. "If you think our encroachment won't be scrutinized, surely you jest with a folly proposal."

"What'd you say?" Sully stomped a couple towards the female mage before being pulled back by two different arms by the waist and arms. "Huh? Hey! Vaike. Ricken. Let me go!"

"Sully. Stand down." Lon'qu stepped between the two female, his thumb pushing the hilt of his blade up with a click. "This meeting is still in session."

Everyone held their breath until Sully allowed her shoulders to slump. Once the two male Shepherds loosen their hold on her, the red-hair cavalier sat on a lying crate further away from Miriel. With the crisis defused for the moment, Robin wiped a sweat from above his brow. "Thank you, Lon'qu."

"Sully." The black-hair male directed his focus towards his fellow Shepherd. "I know there's a lot at stake but Miriel is right. My plan requires a majority of us but not everyone is needed."

"Don't forget. We're a small specialized peace-keeping force, not a frontline division. I appreciate you volunteering to partake in this operation but it's too risky. For what our spies gathered, half of the Plegian military is still marching back from our border but the other half is stationed within the capital. I estimated there will be about 30,000 troops presented during the execution. If we march in blindly, we'll all be killed for nothing."

A majority of the Shepherds mumbled in agreement but a few members including Chrom shook their head. The blonde cleric shuffled in her boots where she stood, glancing back and forth to her brother and Robin. She had doubts about the plan but she wanted to believe her friend was making the right decision.

'Uh. Think. Why is he so hardheaded about not sending all of us?' Lissa chewed on her nail. 'Come on, Lissa. Think.'

"Oi!" A strong voice chimed outside the tent. With a grunt, a tanned bald-headed man entered the meeting with a tanned blonde-hair woman behind him. "I'd appreciate if you tell us about the meeting earlier."

"Khan Basilio. Khan Flavia." Robin bowed. "You're right on time."

* * *

><p>As the sun rest above the clouds slightly below its peak, Lissa sat in relative silence beneath the shade inside an empty supply carriage. With every clinking press and stir, her wooden pounder carefully grinded the mixture of dried herbs in her mortar into powder she could later use. However, Lissa couldn't concentrate. The meeting that had ended a couple hours ago was fresh in her mind. Robin eventually convinced her brother when he explained in further detail of his plan involving Feroxi forces serving as a distraction and provider of their escape route. During the chaos, the Shepherds sneak past the main Plegian force and rescue the Exalt.<p>

'It's a good plan. But…' the blonde cleric leaned her head out of the backside of the carriage. A few carriages away, two figures were in the center of a makeshift circle darting and smashing into each other with wooden swords in their hands.

'Why am I not happy?'

The thought of seeing her sister again put her mind at ease over for the first time since their departure from the summer palace. Robin had taken the responsibility of protecting her sister but she felt guilty because the blame would fall on him if they failed. Everyone had to stake their lives on their suicide mission and it was because of their selfish wish. Before the war, Lissa remembered how all of her whims handled for her without the slightest lift of a finger. Having spent a couple weeks living outdoors, the world around her seemed different after seeing the hardship the less fortunate endured on a daily basis. While she found it fine to be spoiled from time to time, the constant pampering was a bit sickening to her. The blonde cleric didn't even have enough fingers or toes to count how many times she was given the easier, stress-free chores and exemption from patrols.

"Grah…" One figure dropped to ground on his arms and knees. His left nostril formed a red bubble, the tip of his nose oozing with droplets of blood. "Damn it."

"Again." The other figure heaved, drops of sweat and blood falling from his arms and face. "Stand up."

'There they go again.' Lissa shook her head at the sound of wood cracking once more. 'How could he still run after yesterday?'

Despite asking him to take the day off, the man of mystery was impossible to stop once he made up his mind. Robin.

'Ahh. Why?' The blonde cleric grumbled, pulling her pigtails aside in irritation.

Her mind always seemed to wander back to the black-hair tactician. She admitted her attraction to Robin started when she caught a glimpse of his face. However, the man of mystery was bluntly honest and carried around him an air of wisdom that was far above someone of his age. From all of their conversations, she finally decided what her dream was. However, she enjoyed her current life style too much to make any meaningful process which involved having everyone recognize her as an individual rather by title like an antique doll.

"That's right, Lissa. Don't give up and you'll make him proud." The young princess clapped her palm over her cheeks, the idea of progress felt strangely invigorating.

As she grasped the handle of her wooden pounder, a pitched-groan of a ram horn echoed ominously in the distance. She listened closely and frowned at the lack of sound coming from the duel. Instead, a blood-chilling sensation raced down her spine at the groans and metal ringing approaching closer. Even under the hide sheet draped over the carriage, she could make out several shadows of magic bolts flying by and exploding dangerous close. Lissa toppled onto her back when the carriage violently lurched from the aftershock, tossing the semi-powder herbs in the air.

"Gaugh. Plat!" The blonde cleric waved her hand in front of her, spitting out whatever content that managed to get in her mouth. "This really isn't my day."

"Lissa!" A feminine voice repeatedly cried out. "Lissa? Where are you?"

"GRAHHHH!" The young princess instinctively cowered, bringing a gloved hand over a nose and mouth when an unpleasant odor sipped past the mixed herb powder in her nose. There was only one thing in the world that smelled worse than medicine and bear meat.

'Risen?! What are they doing here?' Lissa quickly slung her medical satchel over her shoulder and reached for her staff that flew out of her grasp during the initial rocking.

"Lissa!" An accent voice stopped in front of her carriage and peek his head in. "Miss Lissa. Ther' you are."

"Donnel." The blonde cleric let her tense arms fall to her side in relief. However, a rusted arrow suddenly whizzed and bounced harmlessly off the young farmer's bronze pot helmet. "AH! We have to go."

As she stepped off the driver's seat from the other side of the carriage, she could see differently armed Risens from the corner of her eyes rampaging all over the encampment. A few ashen logs from a nearby spitfire had been kicked out of its pit, the glowing timbers catching a number of tents on fire. Fortunately, the camp was plotted out to counter fire-attacks. Even if there were powerful winds, the troops' residency were still pack but kept a reasonable distance away from each other.

The pair eventually made their way several tents above from the War Tent's direction where Chrom and Robin with a few others made a temporary barricade out of empty crates, tents, and broken wooden boards.

"Kellam! Let them through!" The young lord called out to the knight while the tactician by his side hurled a thunder bolt at a Risen that suddenly changed direction and flailed towards the incoming pair.

"GO!" Donnel released Lissa's hand, driving the tip of his lance into the stunned Risen through the back of the head.

The undead monster twitched slightly before exploding in a cloud of black miasma. Once the surrounding area was free of Risen, Chrom sheathed Falchion and hugged his sister. "Thank the gods"

"I'm fine, Chrom." Lissa parted from the hug.

Her brother's face was extremely pale, sporting a number of small scratches but nothing too serious. Turning her attention to Robin, she was relieved to see he wasn't seriously injured either except the dried blood marks under his nose. She was going to have a word with Lon'qu later. "Robin. What's going on?"

"It was in the shipment." The tactician growled, slapping a free hand to his forehead. "How could I have been so stupid?"

"What do you mean?" the blue-hair lord looked to the black-hair male. Nearly everyone in the barricade was looking to Robin for answers. "Do you know why the Risen are here?"

The tactician nodded his head. "I do. Apparently, there's a rumor of a new black market item that attracts Risen. I believe they called it a reeking box."

"Damn. This isn't a funny prank." Gaius suddenly sledded over the stacked crates with a soft plop onto the sand. "I guess that rumor on my scout's report last week isn't a rumor after all."

The air felt cold despite the raging inferno and desert sun beating down on them. Roaming Risen hordes were bad enough on their own because of their discriminatory behavior on life itself. However, the thought of someone purposely summoning them while running the risk of endangering the lives of everyone was absolutely sickening.

"Why would anyone want to attract these things?" Chrom roared. "It doesn't make any sense."

'Oh gods. That's terrible.' Lissa enclosed her arms around herself, thinking back to earlier in the morning. All of the carried crates looked the same except for the one the conscripts she stopped carried. It was the only crate different from the rest and it gave her the creeps just looking at it. No…it couldn't have.

"I don't know either." Robin scratched his chin. "I have a hunch but this might not be the last time we see this items. Let me see if I have a copy of the report on what it looks like."

"Are the reeking boxes covered in chains with a red tag over its lock?" The young princess squeaked, flinching when Robin's diluted pupils fell onto her.

"Wait?! Did you see it?" The black-hair male stumbled towards her. "That's exactly what they look like."

"Ugh." Lissa smacked her palm over her forehead. "I did. Two conscripts were carrying it this morning but they thought it was one of the supplies you ordered."

"Lissa, you really are amazing." Robin breathed a sigh of relief. "Now, I know exactly how to end all of this."

Any tension previously on his face had completely vanished. The blonde cleric smiled in response but was caught off guard at the sudden warmth wrapped around her arms.

'Oh gods. Why in front of everyone?' the young princess blushed, her gaze darting back and forth to everyone's agape face.

She wanted to shove her friend away but her arms refused to budge. Something about his heartfelt action was making it difficult to think. Before she could return the embrace, a soft voice broke the awkward silence causing her to jolt and slip out of the friendly hug.

"Guys. There are some Risen up ahead." Kellam called over his shoulder, pointing at several humanoid figures hobbling their way towards the make-shift barricade. "Uh, guys?"

"Hey, fellows." Lissa waved at everyone and gestured at the knight's direction. "We got company."

"A-a-lright." Chrom vigorously shook his head and re-drew Falchion. "I-ah. Umm…Robin? Are we clear to engage?"

Lissa couldn't help by smile when the black-hair tactician briefly looked at their surrounding area and smiled with the usual glint in his eyes. "Yep. Let's go crush them."

* * *

><p>After the reeking box's destruction, the camp felt alive once more. Nearly everyone but Robin was present at the evening campfire gathering but no one seemed to question why. It was after the fighting did the tactician fall asleep from exhaustion. Even though she enjoyed gossiping with Maribelle and speaking with Nowi, Lissa was not happy. It wasn't the whispers and stares behind her back. What irked her were the ill-words directed about Robin's philandering behavior towards the women of the camp, especially towards her and Sumia.<p>

It was only after overhearing a pair of conscripts muttering wild speculations amongst themselves if Cordelia's infatuation with her brother was a front to get Robin's attention did the blonde cleric retired back to her tent.

'Stupid Chrom. Stupid Frederick.' Lissa mumbled face first in her pillow. She didn't even bother undoing her pigtails or boots out of pure frustration. No matter what she did, it seemed her friend was always the talk of subject.

'Gah, stupid Robin.'

There were a few more names she called stupid, often returning to the black-hair male until her mouth felt dry. Lissa slowly propped herself onto the cot's edge and slammed her pillow on her lap.

He was her friend. Their relationship wasn't overall serious besides their pranking war. And yet, she felt irritated. Robin was like her brother when it came to romance, dorky and clueless. She knew the black-hair male would say his interactions with the other female Shepherds were strictly professional but he lacked the insight of a maiden. Cordelia, Nowi, and even Miriel all seemed to have the 'eye' on him when the tactician wasn't looking. However, the one with the biggest 'eye' on Robin was Sumia. She didn't know any more if the pegasus knight had feelings for her brother or for her best friend.

'Just how dense is he?' Lissa shook her head. If only Robin choose someone, the tightening in her chest wouldn't feel so painfully wrenching. Heck, she overheard small talk of Frederick spending time with Panne over something about a scream. Why couldn't he be forward with her?

"If only…" The young princess groaned, hugging the pillow into her face as she fell back into her cot. "If only…he picked me."

* * *

><p>The next day was like a blur. Lissa woke earlier than usual in the morning to check the Shepherd's medical supply. Towards the end of distributing the salve and concoction to all the conscripts and Shepherds did she noticed a few salves and bottles of concoction left over. Donnel and Vaike eventually arrived to grab their stock leaving only one of each item remaining. After several minutes, the blonde cleric was ready to pack up the tent before Frederick huffed past the flap's entrance.<p>

Apparently, the tactician was the only usual person he didn't see early in the morning. Normally, it would have been Cordelia, Robin, and Gaius respectively to be seen wandering the camp site before the great knight rose from his rest to start his pebble clearing routine. When asked to check on the black-hair male, Lissa raced over it to his tent only to hear Robin tossing around wildly in his bed. Upon entering the tent, she could hear him mumbling with sheens of cold sweat glistening from his body. Before she panic, Robin awoke from his nightmare with a jolt.

Something about the tactician as raced out of his tent didn't sit right with her. A jittery feeling throughout her body and the young princess knew the reason. Mainly, it wasn't the upcoming battle. There was something troubling Robin's mind.

There was the silent marching and the hateful speech addressed to the spectating crowd from Gangrel. Finally, an axe soared through the air and hordes of men and beast shrieked into each other. The number of guarding soldiers standing between the Shepherds and the capital's courtyard number at least over 40 soldiers.

Only Chrom's yelling and Robin's hollering orders echoed the loudest amongst the living and dead. There were two people she didn't recognized fighting alongside them. One was a blond male dressed in a tannish white monk's war robe wielding a sharp red-tinted axe while the other was a voluptuous woman wearing a strange golden ornate headdress and nothing but a matching dark sorceress clothing over her chest and bottom half with a body covering black net-mesh for a bit of modesty.

Sumia, Ricken, and Vaike had been forced to retreat when enemy wyvern riders began flying into the fight. After slaying the general in the middle of the courtyard, the recently freed Pegasus wind guards flew in with Phila to save Emmeryn perched atop of an enormous dragon skull.

First, it was the smell. Then, the whistling arrows began flying in the air. After all that was done, the pitiful neighs and fleeting lives plopped to the ground. Squads of Risen archer had suddenly appeared from balls of purple bog-like flames. There was a volley of screams amongst their rank and the overjoyed smugness of the Mad King. Lissa boiled with anger at Gangrel's accursed words. Her brother raged and wailed at Robin when the latter shook his head.

Above the turmoil, her sister spoke. It was a brief speech but the young princess's heart jumped when Emmeryn stepped closer to the dragon's maw edge. Her brother had casted Falchion aside with a clatter, running as fast as he could. The rusted arrows flew over Chrom's head while Robin coordinated everyone to clear the Risen. She watched the black-hair male run after her brother, his body lurched violently to the side as a few arrow found its mark.

Lissa dropped her staff as Emmeryn stood at the edge for a moment and bowed her head. The moment she saw the next planted foot step, the young princess couldn't bear to watch, turning her gaze away with a scream. When she heard silence, Lissa slowly peeked from the crack of her moist glove hands. Her brother's futile running came to a complete halt and fell onto his knees. A golden crown clicked and rolled away as Chrom screamed, her own renew tears flooding her sight. The fates were cruel to them. While her brother vowed to exact bloody vengeance, Basilio and Flavia followed by Marth burst through with a number of their soldiers. The fighting outside from the courtyard walls was drawing closer with each heartbeat.

The blonde cleric felt numbness settle in her foot, her limp body collapsing back into Frederick's armored grasp. Her vision blurred as she focused through the flickering heat air of a razed base, Robin's and Lon'qu's bleeding forms struggling to slink Chrom back to them. Her brother was still thrashing and jabbing his accusing finger over their shoulders at his sister's killer. Lissa didn't respond when she was placed and secured behind Stahl's back.

Fail. They had failed. There was nothing about the world she could understand anymore.

Lissa could only utter two words before the light of her world fell into the fading void.

"Robin. Why?"


	18. Chapter 15 - Quarter of the Will

**_With Plegia's Capital in sight, rest and peace have eluded the mind of the Shepherds. Their mission is suicidal and not everyone believes in their tactician's plans. Wherever corner they take, their enemies lurk everywhere. Nowhere is safe. The world that everyone once knew is changing. As Chrom and co. try to make sense of it, fate is cruel as they bear witness to their new reality._**

* * *

><p><span><strong>Chapter 15: Quarter of the Will<strong>

The Insignia of Naga's symbol fluttering carelessly in the damp winds as Ylisse hanging banners were carried at the helm and rear of two single file lines of Ylissean conscripts. Even without the overhanging grey clouds, man and beast alike shared a gaze of exhaustion and defeat, dragging their footsteps in discord to the squeaking wooden carriages trickling through the entrance of a rocky ravine.

As another bright roll of light rippled above the sky, a lone blue-haired figure slowly walked several feet ahead of the group. Several people had approached Chrom including the outspoken Maribelle and Vaike but the shock his sister's death was the deepest wound he may never recover from.

'…It's my fault.' Robin muttered, pressing the back of head against the hide cover within the confine of a transport carriage.

It had been a six days since their decisive defeat at Plegia's capital but the nights felt longer. With their rearguard constantly repelling waves of incoming Plegian soldiers, hardly anyone slept or eaten a bite. The Shepherds were forced to abandon setting up camp a number of times before resorting to use whatever available carriage as temporary mobile shelters. Robin had anticipated the remnants of Plegian forces at their surprise rescue operation to recover from their assault but heavily underestimated the speed of their mobilization. The only relief the Shepherds could find in their maddening escape to Regna Ferox's border was a quick nap or snack. The tactician rubbed the sunken bags beneath his eyes, freeing an unrestrained yawn quickly followed by Miriel and Ricken.

"Lord Chrom!" A tiny figure cried out from a distance, his voice nearly swept away by the low grumbling roll.

The mundane atmosphere within the Ylissean ranks buzzed with life at the shout and Frederick's sudden crack of his rein. Several Ylissean conscripts quickly formed next to the great knight's sides, brandishing their wall of lances downward. Even with the human barricade placing several meters between the blue-hair lord and approaching newcomer, the frustration and anger continued to rise amongst the Ylissean ranks.

Jolting awake from his carriage's jolting halt, Robin peeked his head out of the front hide flap to identify the approaching visible figure in the horizon.

'He looks too young to be in the army. Slightly pale skin, thin, but he has the legs of a runner. Looks like light teal-dyed harden leather armor, perhaps a scout of sort. But that red cloth on his arm….' The black-hair male frowned. 'Wait… there's only one person with that shield color insignia.'

"Frederick!" Robin stepped out of his transport carriage, waving his arm. "He's a Feroxi scout. Let him through!"

After closer inspection, the great knight and the conscripts stepped to the sideline to allow the panting scout to race past and slide to his knee into a bow. "Lord Chrom. Khan Flavia has sent me ahead with a sketched layout of the canyon ahead…Err, Lord Chrom?"

"My lord isn't feeling well at the moment. I'll take your message to him." Frederick trotted to the side of the Feroxi scout, gesturing his hand towards the back of the convoy. "Sir Robin!"

"Here." The tactician shivered at the passing wind, tugging his black robe hood over his head. "We need an emergency meeting."

'I don't know if I'm fit to lead anymore.' Robin's eyes flickered across the given scribble drawn map before noticing a landmark location with four carved parallel trenches passes called Gorge Canyon.

'One little failure and you call it quits?' His conscious growled. 'You should be ashamed of yourself.'

'I think he has his reasons.' Another voice in his mind echoed, its tone was sympathetic but mocking. 'What he really means is-'

"Personally, this is my problem now." Robin closed a shaky palm to his brow.

_**"Exercise judgement with caution. Abandon personal feelings."**_

'Ahh. I see now.' The conscious chuckled. 'You wanted to handle the rescue operation without making it personal. If you did, any risky options would go out the window.'

'But the moment you began wavering, we overlooked the possibility of a third party being involved.' The other conscious mumbled, a sensation coursing through his body as if his conscious was rubbing its chin.

Robin wrinkled his nose as tiny water droplets splatted onto his uncover finger and map. The voices in his mind were right. What was he compromising the lives of everyone for? Was it pride? Self-worth? No, he wanted to protect Chrom and Lissa.

'Liar.'

'Sleaze.'

"I hate you guys." Robin mumbled, shoving the rolled map into his robed pocket. "Frederick, we're splitting our forces into two groups. We're forming three squads but the remaining Shepherds need to go with-"

Before the tactician could finish, the hair on his body stood on end. Glancing to the end of the marching line, the air groaned with the humming of horns throughout the canyon.

"PLEGIANS AT THE REARGUARD!" Multiple voices hollered before the still air clatter at the sound of a running mass.

Fresh cries and screams piled over one another as the first wave of undeterred Plegian soldiers slammed headfirst into a wall of lances. In the heat of the battle, black foggy spherical mass suddenly formed within the ranks of the Ylisse rearguard conscripts. From the series of pained screams, the tactician felt his heart drop to his gut as the conscripts abandoned their wall formation.

"Damn it! That's dark magic!" Robin burst forth from the carriage's exit, his tomes bouncing wildly in his robe pocket.

Through the cloud of dust, he focused his senses until he could see the attacking mages several meters away from the ravine's entrance stationed at both sides into a weird formation that looked similar to a starving triangle.

"I really hate the Cross-Swordhead." The tactician growled, gathering the surging energy at the center his palm. Throwing his arm forth, Robin breathed a small sigh of relief as his red bolt exploded into countless little flames upon colliding with a dark bolt forming around Stahl.

"Frederick! Clear a path and take Chrom and Lissa ahead. We need to move further in." The tactician roared over his shoulder, shielding his face as a fog-like bolt collapsed on itself a couple meter in front of him, scattering chunks of rock debris haphazardly into the air.

"Understood." The great knight's voice boomed loudly over the chaotic battle. "Get someone to drive these carriages out of here now."

"First Company! Hold this line!" Robin swung his blade upward, slashing apart a mid-air fire bolt as the tiny embers scatter over his cheeks.

The air howled and whipped Robin's hair violently around upon the gray storm clouds blotting the blue hues of the sky. In the distance, Robin could see Plegian soldiers being tossed in the air, their body and limbs flailing helplessly to their weightless flight from an enormous figure hovering above the defending Ylisse Rearguard.

"We're not going to hold out for long." Robin bit the inside of his cheeks, his eyes flashing to the dwindling Ylissean color amor fighting across the battlefield. "I just hope the Feroxi sees this."

Raising his arms above his head, the tactician launched a red flaring bolt into the air. In the rare moments Robin wasn't holed up in the War Tent studying road maps or reading strategy books, the black-hair male had spent countless nights examining Ylisse military procedures, or lack thereof. Frustrated at the Shepherd's lack of intellectual organization, Robin painstakingly crafted and presented several detailed policies a week later much to Chrom's horror. Without resistance thanks to exhaustion, the tactician found most of his plans adopted and implemented which included a system for long range communication.

A single red flare meant the standby force was ready. If another red flare responded, both parties were free to engage. However, if another red flare was sent upward in rapid succession, it meant help was needed. With another grunt, Robin sent the second red flare soaring beneath the clouds.

"Haaaa!" Vaike roared, pulled his stained axe back from the bare chest of a Plegian soldier with an effort grunt. "Come on. The Vaike still needs to teach class."

"This guy is crazy." A Plegian soldier visibly winced at the blonde warrior's jovial laughter.

Standing on the same barren ground where their slain comrades and Ylissean conscripts laid, the surprise assault had only caught five carriages in the dark mage's barrage: three transport units, one empty unit, and one angry manakete. To the Plegian forces, the Ylissean Rearguard had an unwavering tenacity. Because the Plegians were familiar with the desert terrain, they had used a stream of guerilla tactics designed to wear the attackers down. However, the Rearguard was still able to spot their approach and blast their horns, nullifying any chance to take the initiative as demonstrated by the low number of Ylissean causality.

"What's this? Teach's got nothing but chickens here." Vaike beat his glistening chest to the boiling-gaze of over sixty Plegian soldiers in front of him.

"Quiet you fool." Lon'qu grumbled, pressing his panting shoulder against his fellow Shepherd after two Plegian soldiers slumped to the ground.

"Gregor propose game." The spiky-hair mercenary tugged his sword with a grunt from a Plegian while standing on the head of another lying soldier. "Virion, joins us yes?"

"No one challenges Gangrel's army lives to see another day." Another Plegian soldier roared, but he stood helplessly as Gregor sharply twisted his boot with a crunch.

Despite the Plegian forces outnumbering the Ylissean forces at the ravine's entrance, the sound of quaking armor and lack of advancement brought a smile to the tactician. As the Plegian soldiers continued their tense standoff, neither moving or advancing, Robin emerged behind the standing row of Ylisse Rearguards with a few conscripts.

"Now! Attack!" At the tactician's order, several Ylissean mages released wave after wave of wind, thunder, and fire bolts into the Plegian ranks.

"That's cheating! GAH!" A Plegian solider screamed before dropping to the ground as Gregor shoved his shoulder-shield pad into the unprotected face.

Dark swirling bolts swirled forth straight into the canyon's entrance as soldiers slammed into each other once again. Robin roared in pain as he flew headfirst into the ground alongside several other Ylissean conscripts. The black-hair male remained motionless to minimize the searing pain through his back before propping himself upright on his trembling palm. Robin kept his head low as searing orbs of flames and blasting wind whistled over his head, crawling and rolling aside to any cover he could find. Out of the corner of his eye, the tactician noticed a small group of Ylissean conscripts using two carriages as a chokepoint. With a huff, Robin pulled himself upright into a sprint.

"You guys alright?" The black-hair male gasped, downing the last bitter drop of his empty concoction.

"Never been better." The noble smirked before stepping out from his cover to release a notched arrow. Immediately, Virion cried in surprised at the sudden tug back to earth. "Gah. Robin! Watch the collar."

"Man-spawn. Move." Panne's slithery voice echoed while weaving through the battlefield. Robin cringed as multiple fire bolts struck the carriage, its flame slowly but surely engulfing the wooden transport. The tactician barely twisted his back away to shield himself with his arms around the archer at the hurdling mass of air.

The female Taguel dug her nails into the rock ground at the last moment, thrusting her massive hind legs into the base of the lying burning carriage. The fiery wooden transport unit tumbled forth with a spiraling crash and into the platoon of dark mages on the canyon's right entrance flank. Robin winced as he saw most of the Plegian mages fleeing in time. But amongst the pushing and shoving, those who were trampled or slower met their demise, mercilessly crushed beneath the burning wooden mass.

"Sweet. Nice one Whiskers." Gaius whistled atop of Nowi, surveying the damage below before dropping a pink-bear shaped lollipop from one of his pouches into her un-transformed state palm.

"Hey! Why does she get candy?" The manakete emitted a whining grumble. "I want one too."

"Guys. Pay attention." Robin grumbled. The black-hair male let his blade slide out of his hand to reach for his fire tome in his satchel. The tome pages rustled wildly at the wind before a red bolt shot forth in to the guts of a sword-wielding Plegian soldier.

'Well, at least I know they're safe.' The tactician offered a brief, bitter smile. 'Gods, I'm so stupid.'

"Come on. Pick up the pace you damn youngster!" A strong gruff voice roared as the sound of a hundred new voices swarmed into the ravine. "Oi! Save some for us."

Time seemed to have ticked on longer than Robin remembered. With each step, puddle water splashed over his knee-cap level boots. The black-hair tactician flailed his arms to balance himself as his foot smashed into the base of a protruding rock boulder, ignoring the burning numb coursing up from his legs. After repelling the Plegian skirmish force thanks to Khan Basilio's timely response, Robin and the Rearguard eventually caught up with Chrom's group resting along the path towards Gorge Canyon. The air trembled when a bolt of lightning clapped in the distance, grumbling even louder in the enclosed canyon. Heavy rain drops pelleted the ground below as torrential winds continue to splash across their face.

'We have to move. This place is already flooding.' The black-hair male panted, the sole of his boots splattering water all over his trembling soaked body.

"Hurry! There should be carriages waiting just through the ravine!" Khan Basilio paused in the middle of his run, waving his beckoning arm to the exhausted Ylissean-Feroxi forces trailing behind him.

Their surrounding had changed drastically from rocky bedside to an open clear path with protruding pale rib bones larger decorating alongside like a cage. Robin and Chrom were the first two Shepherds to ground into a halt in front of the Khan but only the black-hair male was gasping for breath.

"Chrom, please!" Robin pleaded with his friend, his heart aching with every beat as the sound of Khan Basilio's footsteps gradually faded ahead of the rain. The young lord's face remained grim as he continued to stare at the ground.

"Rrgh…" Chrom groaned through closed teeth, casting his tired eyes towards the black-hair tactician. "I'm…I'm coming."

"Quickly!" Khan Basilio roared over his shoulder. "We're almost…Huh?"

'Crap. This is the worst time.' Robin skidded to a halt, reaching for his sword as the hair all over his body stood on end. 'Gods, there way too many of them.'

"Plegians! I knew it couldn't be that easy…" The bald warrior spat, brandishing his axe at the sight of standard red dyed uniform of Plegian soldiers. "They're right in our way! We must fight!"

After leaving Khan Basilio and his Feroxi forces to clear ahead one of Gorge Canyon's signature ravine, Robin and Frederick struggled to quickly organize the remaining Shepherds into squads. Via the tactician's instructions, a number of Shepherds were sent along with the rest of the convoy line on a different path towards Regna Ferox's border. Whoever was left needed to-

"CHROM! COME BACK!" Robin cried out in the raging storm. His arms quivered at the sudden movement, agitating the shallow cut from his shoulder blade to his belly button. With each shallow breath, Robin cursed himself as the blue-hair lord's figure ventured away from the Shepherds and further into the ranks of their enemy.

'Damn you.' The black-hair male clutched the side of his head, struggling to maintain the clarity in his vision. 'We don't want to fight but Chrom is unstable. I have to act fast before he kills anyone before him.'

"Please hold still." Libra grasped the shaking tactician by the shoulder with a gentle touch.

The blonde war cleric concentrated his energy into a staff with a bat wing design at the tip. After cleaning and applying a blood-clotting ointment, Libra unstrapped another staff identical to a Heal staff with a notable difference. Instead of the crystal ball surrounded by a horseshoe shaped tip, the crystal ball was noticeably larger and the tips were smooth round nubs. Robin stifled a groan at the magic pouring from the Mend staff and onto his skin.

Even through shut eyes, the tactician could feel every moment his skin was forcibly stretched and mended together to shut the gaping wound closed. In terms of healing, Libra was clearly more proficient than Maribelle and Lissa. However, he was far from helpless when it came to a fight.

"Th-th-tha y-y-ou." Robin struggled to keep his teeth from chattering in the wet rain. "W-We haaav to keepa up."

The sound of fighting continued to echo faintly above the thunderstorm as two Shepherds wadded in the diluted red water past the slump remains of fallen Plegian soldiers. Robin's eyes immediately drew to Frederick's figure as the great knight evaded an overflowing water stream collected at the cliff atop of a ravine. With a kick to his mount, Frederick immediately brought his lance around smashing a row of aimed lance heads. Positioned on both sides atop of the ravine was Miriel, Virion, and Cordelia, the trio pelleting down any Plegian soldiers barreling towards their allies.

'We can't keep up.' the black-hair male's conscious cried out, his eyes lingering on the back of Libra fading further into the battering rain. 'Use a fire tome on yourself.'

'You want me to?! Oh…right.' Robin grasped the edge of his tome, channeling magical energy to the center of his outstretch palm. The last thing he could remember seeing before losing vision on Libra was a wall of smoke.

Meanwhile

"Oh, how daring." A feminine voice giggled, her hungry gaze closely following a human-sized ball of boiling steam slamming into a wyvern. "No, he's simply the best."

Despite the merciless downpour, the woman pressed her palms to her cheeks, bearing a sinister smile across her lips. When the wyvern rider leaped off his screeching mount, the woman briefly lifted her hand and directed her finger at the poor soul. In the blink of an eye, a black-fog bolt tugged the male's body towards its core. When she heard a crunching snap, the female clicked her tongue before lashing her arm at the Plegian axe-man rushing towards her.

'_Noctis!'_ The feminine voice sneered, her soaked hair fluttering from her soaked body at the magical force emanating from her. Hearing the ground echo with the familiar splash of her lifeless opponent, the woman slowly turned away.

"I-ahh…." Lissa nervously gripped her staff before swallowing. "Th-Tharja?"

"Hmm. What do you want?" the female dark mage muttered. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

"Watch your tongue, woman. That's the princess of Ylisse you're speaking to." Lon'qu eyes narrowed to slits at the newest Shepherd. The ex-Plegian silently responded with an equally sharp glare.

Despite the tense standoff, everyone was shivering at the pelting rain. The fighting at the far right side of Gorge Canyon was especially ferocious as the route leading to the general was guarded by four occupied outposts. However, time was not on the Ylissean side as one of Robin's pre-war morning lectures applied to the dangers of prolonged battles in harsh weather. Each droplet was annoying but the real danger was from the buildup. The body could only endure so much before the energy needed to fight was completely devoted into keeping warm. In essence, they would become exhausted and easy picking to enemies waiting for a fight.

With a quick back right step, the silent swordsman dashed forward with his blade jamming straight into a Plegian soldier's chest. To Lon'qu's surprise, the soldier clamped onto the Feroxi's wrist.

"Let go!" Lon'qu growled, tugging and punching the crazed Plegian with one arm he managed to free. From the corner of his eyes, several other Plegian soldiers screamed in fury as they bared the iron-tip head of their lance at him. "Damn it."

"Lon'qu!" Lissa screamed but a familiar voice echoed clearly amongst the crazed weather to her.

"LISSA! LOOK OUT!"

The princess brought her arms to her face at the firebolt dropping barely an inch in front of her feet. Lissa screamed as the boiling steam blasted violently in every direction, tossing her petite body a couple feet back. "GAHHH!"

"MILADY!" Frederick bellow, his voiced concern echoed fruitlessly as multiple animal figures from above the ravine soared past before circling around closer to ground level. "No! Robin, we have enemy reinforcements!"

Despite the warning, Robin could only hear his heart thundering in his ear. The cold, the open cuts, these factors seem insignificant when compared to the hollow terror that gripped his mind right now.

'Chrom, I know how much you care about your sisters and you hate yourself for losing Emmeryn.' The tactician screamed as his blade neared the temple of a Plegian soldier hovering over Lissa's slumped form.

"But, we're not losing you too!" Robin gripped his trembling sword even tighter as the sound of wyverns roaring vibrate over the ground sprawled with the living and dead.

'BRACE YOURSELF!' The black-hair male gritted as the incoming black membrane wings blotted out his sight.


End file.
